A Comparative Analysis of the Rural and Urban Older Victims of the 5.12 Sichuan Earthquake
Abstract Older people are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters but their needs are often neglected in post-disaster aid work. Even less known is how the challenges faced by rural residents differ from those faced by urban residents, due to the relative lack of support infrastructure (e.g., medical services) in rural areas, particularly in developing countries. We report here a needs assessment survey of the needs of 150 older victims of the recent earthquake in Sichuan, China, with a specific focus on the comparison between urban and rural residents. Case studies were used to provide more in-depth illustrations where appropriate. The findings revealed a variety of unmet needs, both tangible and intangible, of the older victims. The majority of the victims expressed worries about not being able to afford housing, basic necessities, and long-term medical care. Such worries were noticeably more pronounced among rural than urban residents. Besides, many participants suffered loss of multiple family members and were still in a state of grief. The needs of the victims were discussed in the context of China's disaster relief policies, as well as differential social protection policies for urban and rural residents.
[Gerontosocial work in the context of Russian culture and recommendations of Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing].
The definition of gerontosocial work adopted in the majority of the European countries in the context of the Russian culture and priority trends of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing has been discussed. In the article the interaction and differences between terms being used in social work with the elderly people in Russia have been showed; tasks and peculiarities of gerontosocial work have been defined. Peculiarities of interaction between personnel and elderly patients have been studied; the increasing requirements to the professionalism of gerontosocial workers have been proved.
Targeting oral anticoagulation
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2000) 68, 4–5; doi: 10.1067/mcp.2000.108197