Khmer American Mothers' Knowledge about HPV and HBV Infection and Their Perceptions of Parenting: My English Speaking Daughter Knows More

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore and describe Khmer mothers' understanding of HBV and HPV prevention as well as their perception of parenting on health and health education of their daughters in the US. METHODS: The qualitative pilot study guided by the revised Network Episode Model and informed by ethnographic analysis and community-based purposive sampling method were used. Face-to-face audiotaped interviews with eight Khmer mothers were conducted by bilingual female middle-aged community health leaders who spoke Khmer. RESULTS: The findings revealed that Khmer mothers clearly lacked knowledge about HBV and HPV infection prevention and had difficulty understanding and educating their daughters about health behavior, especially on sex-related topics. The findings showed that histo-sociocultural factors are integrated with the individual factor, and these factors influenced the HBV and HPV knowledge and perspective of Khmer mothers' parenting. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that situation-specific conceptual and methodological approaches that take into account the uniqueness of the sociocultural context of CAs is a novel method for identifying factors that are significant in shaping the perception of Khmer mothers' health education related to HBV and HPV prevention among their daughters. The communication between mother and daughter about sex and the risk involved in contracting HBV and HPV has been limited, partly because it is seen as a "taboo subject" and partly because mothers think that schools educate their children regarding sexuality and health.

Vozes do Camboja: formas locais de responsabilização por atrocidades sistemáticas / Imaginando respuestas de inspiración local a las atrocidades masivas que se cometieron: voces de Camboya / Imagining locally-motivated accountability for mass atrocities: voices from Cambodia

Este artigo procura defender três proposições. Primeiramente, é improvável que as Câmaras Extraordinárias nos tribunais do Camboja (conhecidas informalmente como Julgamentos do Khmer Vermelho) alcancem os principais objetivos apresentados por seus proponentes. Em segundo lugar, esse tribunal corre o risco de causar danos. Em terceiro lugar, outros processos culturalmente específicos têm uma chance maior de causar um impacto de longo prazo e satisfazer as vítimas.

This article seeks to defend three propositions. First, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (informally known as the Khmer Rouge Trials) is unlikely to achieve any of the primary goals put forward by its proponents. Second, the Court runs the risk of doing harm. Third, it becomes apparent that other culturally-specific processes have a greater chance at making a long-term impact and satisfying victims.

Este artículo intenta defender tres propuestas. En primer lugar, es muy improbable que las Cámaras Extraordinarias de los Tribunales de Camboya (informalmente conocidas como los Juicios de los Jémeres Rojos) consigan alcanzar alguno de los objetivos fundamentales fijados por sus partidarios. En segundo lugar, la Corte corre el riesgo de hacer daño también. En tercer lugar, otros procesos de mayor especificidad cultural tendrán mayores posibilidades de influir a largo plazo y de satisfacer a las víctimas.

A survey on malaria in mobile Cambodians in Aranyaprathet, Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand.

A cross-sectional survey of the malaria prevalence among mobile Cambodians in Aranyaprathet, at the Thai-Cambodia border, was conducted in November 2000. A total of 666 asymptomatic, mobile Cambodians who worked as traders and laborers were studied. The overall prevalence rate was 2.4%, with 93.75% of the infections being due to Plasmodium vivax and 6.25% due to Plasmodium falciparum. Almost all cases had low level of parasitemia (1+) and no sexual stages were found. Factors associated with malaria infection included being male, being in the 10-59 year age group, having a lower level of education and frequent trans-border crossing. Both groups of migrant workers (traders and laborers) had an equal chance of infection.

Population genetic data on loci LDLR, GYPA, HBGG, D7S8 and GC in the Bangkok population compared with rural Thais from Trat province.

Prior to the introduction of any DNA marker as a tool for person identification and paternity test in certain ethnic groups, a population genetic database should be constructed. Using multiplex primers in single tube polymerase chain amplification, 5 loci of unrelated genes in the PM Amplitype kit (Perkin Elmer) were studied in two Thai population groups: 228 DNA samples were extracted from blood collected at the Borai rural area in Trat province; another 123 DNA samples were collected at the outpatient clinic, Department of Forensic Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok. Analysis of alleles and genotypes was performed after reversed dot blot hybridization of PCR products to allelic sequence specific probes immobilized on the membrane strip followed by nonradioisotopic detection according to the manufacturer's protocol. Population genetic statistic parameters including discrimination power (DP), the probability of matching (PM), power of exclusion for trio (PE trio) and typical paternity index (PI typical) were computed. Both Thai population groups showed no significant deviation from the Hardy Weinberg Expectation (HWE). The combined DP of all 5 loci in the PM Amplitype markers was 0.993636 for rural Thais and 0.994409 for Thais from Bangkok. The combined PM for rural Thais and those living in Bangkok was 0.006364 and 0.005591, respectively. The combined PE trio was 0.696825 and 0.698875 in both Thai population groups and the combined PI typical values were < 1.0. In conclusion, person identification using PM Amplitype DNA markers was efficient and satisfactory within certain limits. Hence, the application of PM Amplitype DNA markers for paternity tests should be cautiously considered and applied in combination with other parameters.

Amebiasis at an evacuation site on the Thai-Cambodian border.

Symptomatic intestinal amebiasis was highly endemic among the Cambodians living at Green Hill, an evacuation site on the Thai-Cambodian border between June 1987 through May 1989. Monthly incidence rates of intestinal amebiasis were determined to be inversely proportional to cumulative monthly rainfall. The highest incidence of amebic dysentery was 63/1000 in children 12-23 months old. Behavioral risk factors were investigated by conducting a case-control study. A questionnaire was administered to 73 families, each having at least one member with confirmed intestinal amebiasis within the past 3 months, and to 95 randomly selected control families having no individual with diarrhea for at least 3 months. Individuals from families with greater than 4 members were at higher risk for acquiring intestinal amebiasis. No significant differences in behavioral risk factors were identified between case and control families. Eighty-six percent of 51 water samples drawn from wells where amebiasis patients obtained their drinking water had greater than 10 coliforms/100 ml. The main route of transmission of E. histolytica was not identified, but was most likely via the fecal-oral route.

Epidemiology of malaria in displaced Khmers on the Thai-Kampuchean border.

Malaria epidemiology from 1983 to 1985 in displaced Khmers living in camps on the Thai-Kampuchean border was studied for planning and evaluation of control measures. The annual parasite incidence per 1000 people fell from 359 in 1983 and 350 in 1984 to 116 in 1985. Incidence varied by camp according to the suitability of the habitat for the vectors. Camps with high incidence had a higher ratio of Plasmodium falciparum to P. vivax, a higher mortality rate, especially in young children and sometimes pregnant women, but a lower case fatality rate than camps with low incidence. Transmission occurred year round, but peaked in the rainy season in 1983 and 1984. In 1985 there was a steady decline in incidence, largely owing to evacuation of many camps away from forested areas. Mortality rates per 100,000 people were 62, 77 and 28 and case fatality rates 0.41, 0.31 and 0.42% in 1983, 1984 and 1985 respectively. The case fatality rate for cerebral malaria was 21 to 26%. Epidemiological information has been more useful for planning than for evaluating control measures.

Deaths following ingestion of a cardiotoxic plant in Kampuchean children in Thailand.

Twenty-seven Khmer children at a refugee camp in Thailand developed vomiting and diarrhea after ingestion of the seeds of the plant Erythrophleum succirubrum Gagnep. Two children died of cardiac arrest. Ingestion of seed of Erythrophleum species that contain digitalis-like alkaloids causes fatal epidemics of poisoning in children as well as livestock.

Present research on schistosomiasis in Thailand.

The current status of schistosomiasis in Thailand is briefly reviewed. Collaborative research on the Mekong Schistosoma in Thailand and the susceptibilities of the snail intermediate hosts of the schistosomes in Southeast Asia is reported.

Health status of Indochinese refugees in Japan: statistical analyses on anemia, eosinophilia and serum alkaline phosphatase.

Detailed statistical analyses were attempted on anemia, eosinophilia and elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase in the Indochinese refugees in Japan. A high statistical correlation was found between hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit for most of the refugees except the Cambodian females. Refugees with parasitic infections, particularly hookworm infection had significantly lower values for hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit. Significant eosinophilia was observed in the refugees infected with hookworms, Strongyloides stercoralis, Rhabditis sp., Endolimax nana and/or Hymenolepis nana. However, these parasites were found in the same subpopulations more frequently than expected by chance. Elevation in serum alkaline phosphatase was observed in young Cambodian immigrants. Analyses showed that the variations of this enzyme could be well predictable by those of enzymes such as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, which are good markers for liver functions, in Cambodian immigrants, 13-24 of age, whereas no such correlation was observed in non-Cambodians of the same age group.

Parasitic diseases with emphasis on schistosomiasis in Cambodian refugees, in Prachinburi Province Thailand.

Epidemiologic surveys were carried on 24,619 Cambodian refugees in Khao-I-Dang holding center, employing a skin test as a screening device to determine the prevalence of schistosomiasis. The diagnosis of Schistosoma mekongi was confirmed in 62 by positive stool examination. The majority of the positive cases came from Battambang province which is probably a new endemic area of schistosomiasis in Cambodia.

Schistosomiasis in Cambodian refugees at Ban-Kaeng Holding Centre, Prachinburi province, Thailand.

The epidemiologic investigation on schistosomiasis in 21,496 Cambodian refugees residing at Ban-Kaeng Holding Centre was conducted by using the skin sensitivity test as a screening test. A positive diagnosis of Schistosoma mekongi was confirmed in 74 of these cases through ova recovery in the stool. The resultant prevalence of schistosomiasis in Ban-Kaeng refugee Holding Center was 3.44 cases per 1,000 population. All of positive cases came from areas in Cambodia where schistosomiasis has not been previously reported. Sixty out of 74 schistosomiasis cases were from Battambang province in Cambodia. This study indicates that schistosomiasis in Cambodia at present is more widespread than has previously been reported.