Caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities are major obstacles to achieving health equity. The authors investigated whether there is any association between caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities and HIV-related knowledge within caste and ethnic populations. They used the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally represented cross-sectional study data set. The study sample consisted of 11,273 women between 15 and 49 years of age. Univariate and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities and HIV-related knowledge. The study sample was divided into high Hindu caste (47.9 percent), "untouchable" caste (18.4 percent), and indigenous populations (33.7 percent). Within the study sample, the high-caste population was found to have the greatest knowledge of the means by which HIV is prevented and transmitted. After controlling for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, untouchables were the least knowledgeable. The odds ratio for incomplete knowledge about transmission among indigenous populations was 1.27 times higher than that for high Hindu castes, but there was no significant difference in knowledge of preventive measures. The findings suggest the existence of a prevailing HIV knowledge gap. This in turn suggests that appropriate steps need to be implemented to convey complete knowledge to underprivileged populations.

Objectives: To investigate the factors affecting cancer survivors and develop a Korean mortality prediction model for cancer survivors. Our study identified lifestyle and mortality risk factors and attempted to determine if health-promoting lifestyles affect mortality.Methods: Among the 1,637,287 participants, 200,834 cancer survivors who were alive after cancer diagnosis were analyzed in the Korean Cancer Prevention Study (KCPS) cohort. Discrimination and calibration for predicting the 10-year mortality risk were evaluated. The prediction model was derived using the Cox model coefficients, mean risk factor values, and mean mortality from the cancer survivors in KCPS cohort.Results: During the 21.6-year follow-up, the all-cause mortality rates of cancer survivors were 57.2% and 39.4% in men and women, respectively. Men, older age, current smoking, and history of diabetes were high-risk factors for mortality. In contrast, exercise habits and a family history of cancer showed a reduced risk. The prediction model discriminations in the validation dataset for both KCPS all-cause mortality (KAR) and KCPS cancer mortality (KCR) were C-statistics, 0.69 and 0.68, respectively. Based on the constructed prediction models, when we modified exercise status and smoking status, which are modifiable factors, the risk of mortality of cancer survivors decreased linearly (30% to 9%). Moreover, there was an equally linear reduction in the risk of cancer-related mortality, decreasing from 24% to 3%.Conclusions: A mortality prediction model for cancer survivors was developed and may be helpful in supporting a healthy life. Lifestyle modifications in cancer survivors may affect the risk of mortality in the future.

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