The borderline personality disorder and gay people

This paper examines the diagnostic category called Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and its relationship to gay people. It discusses the psychoanalytic definition of borderline personalities, and to it adds a cultural definition. In the light of these cultural variables, the diagnosis is defined as a metaphor for the complexities and confusions of modern life. These confusions are important in the lives of gay people, who, it is suggested, are currently more prone to be diagnosed as BPD. Through the life study of a gay man, both the psychoanalytic and cultural variables are identified, then generalized to the problems of gay people in our transitional society.     

The scope of local authority health services for old people

The paper discusses the proportion of old people in an English city who receive assistance from services provided by the local authority (such as home nursing, home helps, etc.); it deals with the variation of this proportion with age and sex, the numbers of people who receive help from more than one service, etc.

The aim is to show what can be obtained by extracting very simple data from the records kept by the services themselves.

Difficulties in deriving suitable estimates for the population “at risk” of receiving help are obtained.     

Mobile moratorium? The case of young people undertaking international internships

ABSTRACT

This article explores a significant yet curiously understudied form of transnational mobility as practiced by the highly qualified in Europe, namely the international internship. We argue that an international internship can be an ambivalent stage within youth transitions. While possibly providing a potential point of entry into a ‘dream’ career path, the economic and emotional costs of such undertakings also need to be accounted for, including an offsetting of professional stability and deferred rather than accelerated labour market entry. At the same time, international internships have the appearance of a response to a need for personal development and exploration. Taking on board these perspectives, we suggest that the international internship be considered a form of ‘mobile moratorium’, expanding on the possibilities associated with this conceptualisation. For young people in the European Union, this type of exchange also provides a means to engage in intra-European circulation while simultaneously pursuing personalized success. We investigate this proposition through analysis of data collected via an online survey, providing illustrations of what the international internship experience means for professional development and personal exploration.     

The formation and stability of ideal family size among young people

A sample of 1,123 sixth, ninth, and twelfth graders in two Southern counties was questioned to ascertain how many children they think is ideal. More than three-fourths of the students in each grade had given thought to an ideal number of children for themselves; fewer had thought about the ideal number for the average American couple. Two and three children were the modal responses; mean ideal sizes were 3.02 for self and 3.16 for the average couple. The range of acceptable fertility behavior, “too few” or “too many” children, is defined by medians of 1.56 and 5.96. Ideal and acceptable family sizes increase slightly in the higher grades. A sex difference in ideals appeared only at grade 12; girls wanted more children. Negroes wanted fewer children than did whites at grade 6, more at grade 12. Size of family of orientation was directly related to ideals at grades 6 and 9, but the relation was curvilinear at grade 12. The direct relation between ideals and socioeconomic status became more pronounced at grade 12. Ideal sizes were larger for Catholics than for other religious groups. The study lends at least minimal support to the notion that early socialization affects ideas about family size.     

Putting people into place

Over the past two decades, there has been an explosion of empirical research on neighborhoods and health. However, although the data and approaches owe much to the early contributions of demographers and population scientists, this debt is largely unrecognized. Likewise, challenges posed in the early literature remain largely unanswered. I argue that just as demographers and population scientists were pioneers in the study of neighborhoods and health, they are uniquely poised to lead the field again. Putting people into place means explaining behavior and outcomes in relation to a potentially changing local context. A more dynamic conceptualization is needed that fully incorporates human agency, integrates multiple dimensions of local social and spatial context, develops the necessary longitudinal data, and implements appropriate tools. Diverse approaches with complementary strengths will help surmount the many analytic challenges to studying the dynamics of neighborhoods and health, including agent-based microsimulation models.     

The trends of contraceptives of people in Shanghai since early 1980s

Shanghai has had the lowest fertility rate in China for many years. Shanghai had a negative rate of natural growth during 1990-95. During 1980-93, fertility dropped continuously. In 1982, contraceptive use among married women included 29.47% using IUDs, 29.33% using oral pills, 23.44% using female sterilization, and 10.48% using condoms. Contraceptive prevalence declined slightly from 98.6% in 1982 to 92.29% in 1993. By 1993, method use changed. Oral pill and female sterilization use declined to 8.04% and 7.22%, respectively, among married women of reproductive age. IUD use increased dramatically to 72.2% in 1993. Condom use declined to 8.83% of total users. Despite reduced contraceptive prevalence, the birth rate declined from 18.51/1000 population in 1982 to 6.50/1000 population in 1993. The proportion of women accepting the one-child certificate increased from 53.32% of all married women of reproductive age in 1984 to 70.13% in 1993. The shift use of contraceptive methods means reliance on long-term reversible methods.     

People and food

Presented at the Symposium on Population and Scarcity: The Forgotten Dimensions.     

建立以人为本的婚姻、家庭关系

依据恩格斯《家庭、私有制和国家的起源》与以人为本的理念,认识到婚姻、家庭关系是建立在人的社会属性之上,并赋予和表达着人的精神追求;自由、平等的一夫一妻制婚姻、家庭是以人为本的本质需要。探索建立以人为本的婚姻、家庭关系的有效途径,对促进社会和谐具有重要意义。     

Demographics: people and markets

The basics of demography are now basic to us business as well. Demographics combine demographic data with socioeconomic and geographic factors to help business and other managers know the market for their goods and services. This pamphlet explains market, product, and site analyses, discusses data sources and resources, and includes case studies involving major corporations. Post-war population trends have had an enormous impact on consumer and labor markets, bringing home to business the importance of taking advantage of demographic shifts. Advances in computerized access to data describing changes and increased consciousness of their economic significance has spurred the application of demographic knowledge by managers and the growth of the demographics information industry. The pamphlet describes the resources and methods of demographics including the creation and use of demographic data products.     

The effects of monetized food aid on reproductive behavior in rural Honduras

This article presents research findings on the question of whether the monetization of non-emergency food aid has adversely influenced national family planning program efforts in Honduras. Women receiving food aid in the form of cash coupons are compared in the study with women receiving food rations and a third group of women with similar characteristics who were not food aid recipients on three types of outcomes: recent fertility, fertility preferences, and contraceptive use. The health facilities where study subjects received health/family planning services and food aid benefits were also compared to assess possible adverse cross-program effects on family planning service delivery. A sample selection model was used in the analysis to control for unobserved differences between comparison groups. No compelling evidence for adverse demand- or supply-side effects of monetized food aid on family planning efforts was observed. The most striking study finding was the extremely high level of unmet need for family planning.     

The effects of food stamp receipt on weight gained by expectant mothers

With over 66% of Americans overweight, expectant mothers are unusual because they are encouraged to gain weight while pregnant. Food stamp receipt (FSR) may facilitate recommended weight gain by providing resources for food and nutrition. I examine the effects of FSR on the amount of weight gained by low-income expectant mothers using NLSY79 data. Results indicate FSR decreases the probability gaining insufficient weight but does not exacerbate the probability of gaining too much weight. Examining the effects of FSR on pregnancy weight gain is important because low birth weight is more likely when expectant mothers gain insufficient weight.     

The marriage of mentally handicapped people and family planning services for them in Shanghai

This brief article discusses findings from a study by the Shanghai Population Information Center on marriage, fertility, and family planning among mentally handicapped adults in Shanghai, China, and population dynamics. The sample included 184 mentally handicapped persons aged 20-49 years (79 men and 116 women). 47 people had mild, 92 had moderate, and 45 had severe mental deficiencies. The mean age was 33 years. About 29% were married or ever married. 49 were married or ever married women. 6 spouses were mentally deficient. About 70% of the married or ever married had children. 43 had ever used contraception. The most commonly used method was the IUD. Several people had the approval of family members and were sterilized. Only 3 women were prevented from use of contraceptive services by family. 38% of the unmarried women's parents or relatives wanted their mentally deficient family members to be married before old age. 48% discouraged marriage because of the mental deficiency.     

Mistakes that heterosexual people make when trying to appear non-prejudiced: the view from LGB people

In two studies, lesbians, gay men and bisexuals were queried concerning mistakes that well-meaning heterosexual people have made when interacting with them. In qualitative, open-ended research, we determined that the most common mistakes concerned heterosexuals' pointing out that they know someone who is gay, emphasizing their lack of prejudice, and relying on stereotypes about gays. Following up with a quantitative, close-ended questionnaire, we determined that the mistakes respondents experienced most often involved heterosexuals (a) relying on stereotypes and (b) ignoring gay issues; the most annoying mistakes were heterosexuals (a) using subtle prejudicial language and (b) not owning up to their discomfort with gay issues. We used two theoretical perspectives, shared reality theory and the contact hypothesis, to analyze the quantitative responses. Implications for intergroup relationships between heterosexual people and gay people are discussed.     

Population of Macao exceeds 550,000 people

The latest population data released from Statistics and Census Service of Macao SAR Government showed there were 552,300 people by the end of 2010. Compared to the number of people by the end of 2009,there was an increase of 10,100 people or 1.9% of its total population. Statistics have shown that there were 5,114 newborns and 1,774 deaths in 2010,an increase of 7.3% and 6.6%respectively compared     

我国留守老人状况研究

本研究利用2000年我国第五次人口普查抽样数据对我国留守老人的总量、年龄构成、地区构成和家庭类型等进行了分析。结果表明,目前我国留守老人总量为1790万人,留守老人分布密度在市镇乡之间和地区之间存在明显差异,人口流动使生活在隔代家庭的老年人比重大大增加。     

Editorial: Rich country,poor people

Editorial: Rich country, poor people     

Serving the people stressed in family planning

There are 9 districts and 7 townships under the jurisdiction of Yuxi City in the Yunnan Province with a population of more than 280,000. The agricultrual population accounts for 85.3% and minority nationalities represent 11.6%. In the past few years, family planning has been carried out in an earnest way in Yuxi City. The natural population growth rate dropped from 17.5 per 1000 in the 1970s to 9 per 1000 in 1984 and the proportion of the 3rd or higher parity births dropped from 34% in 1979 to 2.14% in 1984. The workers of the Family Planning Committee of the Yuxi City program provide good service for family planning in 7 aspects; 1) publicity service; 2) economic aid for single-children households; 3) technical service for birth control; 4) welfare service; 5) health service; 6) service for infertile couples; and 7) nurseries, kindergartens and homes for the aged.     

Evolution of mutualistic symbiosis: A differential equation model

In geological history, rapid speciation, called adaptive radiation, has occurred repeatedly. The origins of such newly developing taxa often evolved from the symbiosis of different species. Mutualistic symbioses are generally considered to evolve from parasitic relationships. As well as the previous model of host population with discrete generations, a differential equation model of host population with overlapping generations shows that vertical transmission, defined as the direct transfer of infection from a parent host to its progeny, is an important factor which can stimulate reduction of parasite virulence. Evolution of the vertical transmission rate from both points of view, the parasite and the host, is analyzed. There is a critical level of the rate, below which an evolutionary conflict arises (the parasite would want an increase in the rate while the host would not), and above which both species would correspond to increase the rate. Therefore, once the parasite dominates the evolutionary race so as to overcome this critical level, one-way evolution begins toward a highly mutualistic relationship with a high vertical transmission rate, possibly creating a new organism through symbiosis with perfect vertical transmission. Changes in other parameters may decrease the critical level, initiating one-way evolution. However, changes in traits, probably developed through a long interrelationship in parasitism, do not necessarily induce the evolution of mutualism. Establishment of the ability to make use of metabolic and digestive wastes from the partner certainly facilitates the evolution of mutualism, while improvements in reproductive efficiency of parasites and reduction of negative effects from exploitation in hosts on the contrary disturb mutualism.