Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in household out of pocket health expenditures in Pakistan (2010-11-2018-19).

Background: The increased socioeconomic inequality in catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) disproportionately affects disadvantaged populations, subjecting them to financial hardships, limiting their access to healthcare, and exacerbating their vulnerability to morbidity.

Objectives: This study examines changes in socioeconomic inequality related to CHE and analyzes the contributing factors responsible for these changes in Pakistan between 2010-11 and 2018-19.

Methods: This paper extracted the data on out-of-pocket health expenditures from the National Health Accounts for 2009-10 and 2017-18.

Examining contraceptive utilization behavior in Pakistani women.

Background: There is a dearth of research examining the couple characteristics in determining contractive utilization behavior in developing countries. This study fills the gap by analyzing the roles of women's intra-household bargaining power and spousal age differentials in predicting contraceptive utilization behavior in Pakistani women.

Methods: A sample of 13,331, excluding pregnant and sexually inactive married women aged 15-49, was extracted from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18.

Out-of-pocket expenditures associated with double disease burden in Pakistan: a quantile regression analysis.

Background: Pakistan is currently experiencing a double burden of disease. Families with members having both communicable and noncommunicable diseases are at a greater risk of impoverishment due to enormous out-of-pocket payments. This study examines the percentile distribution of the determinants of the out-of-pocket expenditure on the double disease burden.

The hepatoprotective potentials of Olea europaea L. leaves against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury in rats.

Objective: To examine the therapeutic effects of Olea europaea L. leaves extract on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats.

Methods: The experimental study was conducted at the Department of Physiology, University of Karachi, Karachi, in July 2021, and comprised Albino Wistar male rats weighing 180-220gm.

Pattern and trends of the total and age-specific fertility rates during 1990-2018 in Pakistan.

Background: Pakistan has an inadequate vital event registration system, leading to fewer than half of all births being registered, and this issue is further exacerbated by systematic recall errors and omission of births. This study aims to evaluate direct and indirect methods of fertility estimation to analyze the trends and patterns of fertility rates in Pakistan from 1990 to 2018.

Design/methodology/approach: Indirect methods are utilized in this study to evaluate the direction and extent of changes in total and age-specific fertility rates, and these findings are compared to direct estimates.

Nutritional inequalities among under-five children: a geospatial analysis of hotspots and cold spots in 73 low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Child undernutrition is a severe health problem in the developing world, which affects children's development in the long term. This study analyses the extent and patterns of under-five child undernutrition using Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for 73 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: First, we mapped the prevalence of undernutrition in the developing world.

Evidence-based hepatic and renal toxicity evaluation of Prunus armeniaca L. seeds in albino Wistar rats.

The present study is a novel approach conducted to investigate dose dependent hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity of aqueous extract of Prunus armeniaca L. seeds in Albino rats. The use of the seeds is limited since the seeds have been subject of high controversy because of the presence of amygdalin, (Vitamin B-17) which in some studies revealed toxicity while in others incurred anti-cancerous ability and also scarce availability of toxicity evaluation studies which stimulates the need to expedite this study which would allow utilization of seeds in the pursuit of formulating novel remedies.

Impact of high-risk fertility behaviours on underfive mortality in Asia and Africa: evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys.

Background: Maternal age < 18 or > 34 years, short inter-pregnancy birth interval, and higher birth order are considered to be high-risk fertility behaviours (HRFB). Underfive mortality being disproportionately concentrated in Asia and Africa, this study analyses the association between HRFB and underfive mortality in selected Asian and African countries.

Methods: This study used Integrated Public Microdata Series-Demographic and Health Surveys (IPUMS-DHS) data from 32 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia from 1986 to 2017 (N = 1,467,728).

Behavioral factors associated with utilization of healthcare services among elderly in Pakistan: evidence from a nationally representative survey.

Background: In Pakistan, health system is facing unprecedented challenges to deal with the healthcare demand of the growing ageing population. Using conceptual framework, this study aims to analyze the factors associated with the utilization of healthcare services in private and public hospitals by the elderly population.

Methods: This study used a sample of 5319 individuals aged 60 and above extracted from the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey 2014-15.

Assessing the prevalence trend of childhood pneumonia associated with indoor air pollution in Pakistan.

The indoor air pollution (IAP) is one of the leading risk factors of childhood pneumonia in developing countries. This study makes the first attempt to examine the prevalence trend of pneumonia among under-five children in Pakistan in association with IAP-related factors, using bivariate and multivariate statistical methods. Three waves of Pakistan Demographic Health Survey for 2006-2007, 2012-2013, and 2017-2018 were used.

Obesity: an independent risk factor for systemic oxidative stress.

The role of obesity in diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, colon cancer, sudden death and other cardiovascular diseases has confirmed in many recent research studies. In present study, it is hypothesized that obesity can serve as an independent risk factor for the decreased activities of cytoprotective antioxidants in humans and for the associated systemic oxidative stress. 150 age matched, female subjects with no history of smoking or biochemical evidence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, renal or liver disease or cancer were included in the study and were divided into different grades of obesity according to their body mass index (BMI).