R4D Kyrgyzstan

Left behind in transition? Poverty, social networks and social support amongst older people in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Impact Report.

Thu, 26 May 2011 06:11 GMT

Miscellaneous Falkingham, J.; Evandrou, M. 2011 Falkingham, JC, et al (2011) Left Behind in Transition? Poverty, Social Networks and Social Support amongst Older People in Central Asia and the Caucasus ESRC Impact Report, RES-167-25-0191. Swindon: ESRC. The main scientific impact of the project has been an improved empirical understanding of the well-being of older people living in the poorest countries of the former soviet union, most notably Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan, where the in-depth qualitative research took place. It highlighted the limited role played by public transfers and the significance of private transfers, especially remittances, in providing a safety net. Intergenerational exchanges however operate in both directions, with grandparents providing support for grandchildren.

Working Paper No. 79. Kyrgyzstan in Crisis: permanent revolution and the curse of nationalism

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:16 GMT

Miscellaneous A. Matveeva 2010 Working Paper No. 79 (series 2), London, UK; Crisis States Research Centre, 35 pp. This paper examines the background to the crisis in southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010 from both an analytical framework of state fragility and from the perspective of the rise in politicised ethnicity and nationalism. The paper draws widely on the author's interviews and field observations undertaken in Kyrgyzstan in 2009 and in summer 2010.

Left behind in transition : the well-being of older people in the Central Asian states of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:52 GMT

Miscellaneous Falkingham, J.; Evandrou, M.; Grant, G.; Baschieri, A. 2008 Reinventing retirement : reshaping health and financial security for the EU27 and Eastern Europe conference, Durnstein, Austria, 23-24 October 2008.

Prevalence of tobacco use among health professionals of the Kyrgyz Republic

Wed, 12 May 2010 11:00 GMT

Miscellaneous C. Bekbasarova 2007 1 p. Poster of preliminary project results presented by Chinara Bekbasarova of the Public Centre for Tobacco Control at the RITC-sponsored workshop on "Research for Action on the FCTC" in Ottawa, Canada, May 2007.

Tobacco Use Prevalence study among Physicians and Nurses and Their Attitudes towards Tobacco Control in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Wed, 12 May 2010 10:53 GMT

Miscellaneous 2007 Public Centre for Tobacco Control, Kyrgyzstan. 60 pp. Objective: The overall objectives are to estimate the prevalence of tobacco use among Physicians and female Nurses and their attitudes towards tobacco control in Kyrgyz Republic.

Sample size and response rate: The total sample size includes 1700 Physicians and 2300 Nurses from 24 medical organisations. 85% of Physicians (41% men and 59% women) and 80% of Nurses (95% women and approximately 5% of men) participated in the survey. Analyses of data was made only among female Nurses because they included 95,4% of the participants.

1450 Physicians (593 men and 857 women) of the Kyrgyz Republic participated in this survey. 37% of participants were from Bishkek, the capital, approximately 30% from north and 33% from south regions. 504 physicians (35%) participated from other cities of Kyrgyzstan and 406 (28%) physicians from rural regions. 18,2% of respondents (hereinafter referred to as Nurses) were from Bishkek-capital of Kyrgyzstan. Other Nurses were from North (33,4%) and South (48,6%) regions.

Results: Current Prevalence of smoking of manufactured cigarettes among male Physicians aged 23-69 years is slightly higher than in the general male population with same age group and similar educational level (49% compared to 42%).

Smoking Prevalence among female physicians of Kyrgyzstan is much higher than among women of national representative sample (6% against 2%) with a similar educational level.

Smoking rate is 10 times higher than among young female Physicians in age group 25-34 years with a similar age group and educational level (11, 1% against 1%). Current smoking prevalence among Physicians lowers with the increase of the age group, the same picture is found among female Nurses.

One third of Health Professionals exposed to smoking at home, 5% of physicians (65% women, and 35% men) and 50% of Nurses - in public transport, 37% and 23% of Female Nurses were exposed to smoking by their colleagues at the workplace in medical organizations.

The high level of agreement of the Respondents (from 84% to 94%) was received to the question «Smoking is harmful to your Health, nevertheless, the awareness of the harm of smoking in Kyrgyzstan was low. Only 6% of Physicians and 4% of nurses in Kyrgyzstan believe they have enough education to help patients give up smoking.

Conclusion: The results showed that the current smoking prevalence among male physicians in the Kyrgyz Republic aged 23-69 is slightly higher than that data of the general male population with same age group and similar educational level. Prevalence of smoking was significantly higher among female Physicians and Nurses than in general population with a similar educational level and age group.

Only a few Health Professionals felt well prepared to assist patients to quit smoking. These results indicate a need to educate Physicians and Nurses of Kyrgyz Republic to not start or quit smoking.

These data support the need to develop a program for implementation of FCTC, the national strategy for tobacco control and participation of Health Professionals of Kyrgyzstan in reducing smoking among the general population.

Medical students of Kyrgyzstan: Smoking prevalence and attitudes to smoking cessation counseling.

Wed, 12 May 2010 10:38 GMT

Miscellaneous D. Vinnikova, A. Lahdensuo and N. Brimkulov 2006 Prevention and Control (2006) 2 (1) 31-37 [doi: 10.1016/j.precon.2006.07.002] A survey was conducted to determine the current prevalence of smoking among medical students at the Kyrgyz State Medical Academy in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and to ascertain their readiness for counseling on smoking cessation.

The overall prevalence of smoking among medical students was 35% (47.9% among men and 22.5% among women), with the highest rate among year 6 students (85.7% for men and 58% for women). The CO-adjusted prevalence for the entire sample was 44.8%. Overall 69% of students believed that smoking is related to cancer and chronic diseases however, the longer students were in school, the less confidence they demonstrated in this relationship. While 85.2% reported that advice should be given to smokers to stop, only 63% considered it potentially effective. Only 17.2% were aware of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 90% of these supported its ratification, women significantly more so than men OR = 2.24, p < 0.05. Non-smokers expressed a greater demand for more information on smoking-related diseases and treatment of tobacco dependence (OR = 2.94, p < 0.05). Smokers were more likely to consume alcohol (OR = 4.0, p < 0.001) with no-alcohol students being more committed to tobacco control.

Across the years of study, the prevalence of smoking among medical students increased, and reached its peak at year 6. The lack of knowledge about tobacco control along with a decreased potential for anti-smoking advocacy likely reflect deficiencies in the educational curricula. There is an urgent need to address relevant changes in the educational curricula for medical students.

The Development of Civil Society in Central Asia.

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:32 GMT

Miscellaneous J. Giffen, L. Earle and C. Buxton 2006 143 pp. This book is based upon a series of research studies undertaken by local research institutes, academics and NGOs in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan between 1999 and 2003. The studies had a dual aim: firstly, to deepen understanding of the dynamics of civil society development in these countries, and secondly, to strengthen local institutions research capacity in data collection and analysis. Drawing on the findings of these studies and placing them within the wider body of programmatic experience and research undertaken by INTRAC and its local partners since 1994, this book will provide insight into the way in which civil society has developed during the period of Central Asian independence to date. Maintaining a critical stance and acknowledging the complexity of Central Asian realities, it examines how civil society has been shaped, hindered and enriched by internal and external forces, both contemporary and historical. Combining findings from empirical case studies with analysis of relevant literature, this book is both an investigation into the specificities of Central Asian civil societies and a broader examination of the emergence of civil society in transition countries.

id21 insights 77. Are NTFPs a way out of poverty?

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 07:44 GMT

Miscellaneous id21 2009 id21 insights 77, IDS, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 8 pp.

Harvesting, using and trading non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are some of the livelihood strategies adopted by people with access to forest resources. Over the past 20 years, governments, conservation and development agencies and non-government organisations have encouraged the marketing and sale of NTFPs as a way of boosting income for poor people in tropical areas and encouraging forest conservation. Is this a way forward for successful conservation and rural development?

This forestry issue of id21 insights looks at some examples of the successful exploitation of NTFPs, and the lessons learned from NTFP markets around the world. It includes articles that focus on:

the benefits of harvesting wildlife products, such as bushmeat, in Equatorial Guinea
the need for local processing, with a case study of rubber tappers in Brazil
the challenges facing walnut farmers in rural Kyrgyzstan
the potential for increased harvesting of sal seeds in India
how the Frutíferas project is providing information for remote Amazonian communities
the importance of governing market chains for NTFPs, with a case study of market chains for rubber in Indonesia
analysis of the factors that contribute to the successful commercialisation of NTFPs

The human perspective on health care reform: coping with diabetes in Kyrgyzstan

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:10 GMT

Miscellaneous Hopkinson, B.; Balabanova, D.; McKee, M.; Kutzin, J. 2004 Diabetes Voice, 2004, 49(3), 10-13 pp. [shortened reprint] Kyrgyzstan is a small mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy; it gained independence with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. For a significant sector of the Kyrgyzstani population, economic difficulties at national level translate into high unemployment and widespread impoverishment. Kyrgyzstan inherited an extensive but basic health-care system, with a functioning albeit fragmented structure for managing chronic diseases. The authors of this article report on the findings of a rapid appraisal study which uses the St Vincent Declaration as a gold standard to assess the performance of diabetes care in Kyrgyzstan.

Health service utilisation in the Former Soviet Union: evidence from eight countries.

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:49 GMT

Miscellaneous Balabanova, D.; McKee, M.; Pomerleau, J.; Rose, R.; Haerpfer, C. 2004 Health Services Research, 39(6), Part II, 1927-1949, 2004. In the past decade, the countries that emerged from the Soviet Union have experienced major changes in the inherited Soviet model of health care, which was centrally planned and provided universal, free access to basic care. The underlying principle of universality remains, but coexists with new funding and delivery systems and growing out-of-pocket payments. The objectives of this study were to examine patterns and determinants of health care utilization, the extent of payment for health care, and the settings in which care is obtained in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.