Search Results (1,016)

It is widely recognised that addressing inequality in tertiary education is a complex and multifaceted issue. Studies involving students from lower socio-economic backgrounds consistently show that educational disparities exist at the post-secondary education level, with these students’ encountering obstacles in both accessing and completing tertiary education compared to their wealthier counterparts. Understanding how widening participation interventions may influence young people’s post-compulsory education is an important part of addressing the participation gap. This paper investigates longitudinal data from 227 students in Dublin, Ireland, who were attending post-primary schools located in areas that have low progression to tertiary education. The paper examines the extent to which students’ post-secondary plans, formulated in their final year of secondary school, are realised six months after graduation. The paper continues to examine the influence of external interventions provided by an Irish university’s widening participation (WP) programme on secondary school students’ progression to post-compulsory education. Taking into account contextual factors (e.g., gender, ethnicity, school type, parental education, parental support), this paper examines how WP programmes in secondary school impact post-school progression. Programme engagement (guidance outreach activities) was associated with 4.91-greater odds of post-secondary education once other contextual factors had been controlled for. Participating in mentoring programmes did not have a significant influence on post-secondary progression. Findings in relation to these are discussed, and recommendations for how practitioners and policy makers can approach widening participation outreach programmes with secondary school students are highlighted. Full article

Climate-induced migration is increasingly affecting communities, disrupting livelihoods, and intensifying socio-economic inequalities, particularly in disaster-prone regions. Despite the prevalence of recurring flood hazards, there remains limited research on the multi-dimensional impacts of migration particularly in socio-culturally sensitive and resource-constrained settings like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. This study seeks to bridge this gap by exploring the post-migration challenges of flood-affected communities in District Nowshera. Using a qualitative methodology, we conducted in-depth interviews with 25 diverse key informants. The study results revealed profound socioeconomic instability, inadequate access to essential services, and cultural disruptions. Key findings include significant challenges such as inadequate housing, the loss of traditional livelihoods, persistent financial hardships, health issues, and the breakdown of social support networks. Moreover, displaced families face marginalization and language barriers, which hinder integration into host communities, amplifying feelings of isolation and identity loss. Environmental degradation in resettlement areas further intensifies these challenges, prolonging poor living conditions and heightened vulnerability. To address these issues, the study recommends community-based interventions such as developing resilient, culturally appropriate housing, implementing targeted skills training programs to restore livelihoods, promoting climate-smart agricultural practices, and enacting inclusive social policies to promote integration and cohesion to address climate-induced migration in disaster-prone regions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Food deserts are areas characterized by limited access to affordable and healthy food, often due to significant distances from supermarkets—exceeding 1.6 km in urban areas and 16 km in rural settings. These spatial limitations exacerbate health and socioeconomic disparities. This study aimed to assess diet quality and explore the barriers influencing dietary behaviors among individuals aged 60 and older residing in food deserts in Aragón, Spain. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study using a phenomenological approach was conducted, complemented by descriptive analyses of sociodemographic data and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, assessed through the PREDIMED questionnaire. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and a focus group with residents of food deserts. Results: Half of the participants showed high adherence to the Mediterranean diet, while the other half had moderate adherence. Despite the lack of access to supermarkets and higher food costs, many participants perceived their diet quality positively. Challenges, such as long distances to stores, limited public transport, and economic constraints, were mitigated through strategies like home gardening, hunting, and traditional cooking, which often reduced reliance on processed foods. However, participants also reported increased alcohol consumption as a means of socializing. Conclusions: Diet quality in Aragón’s food deserts reflects a balance between significant access barriers and community-driven resources. While participants leveraged local strategies to maintain diet quality, systemic issues remain. Public policies should focus on improving transportation, enhancing local food systems, and fostering community-based initiatives to reduce inequalities in food access and promote healthier dietary habits in rural areas. Full article

Rapid economic growth in China has brought about a significant challenge: the widening gap in regional development. Addressing this disparity is crucial for ensuring sustainable development. However, existing studies have largely overlooked the intrinsic spatial and temporal dynamics of regional disparities on various levels. This study thus employed five advanced multiscale geographically and temporally weighted regression models—GWR, MGWR, GTWR, MGTWR, and STWR—to analyze the spatio-temporal relationships between ten key conventional socio-economic indicators and per capita GDP across different administrative levels in China from 2000 to 2019. The findings highlight a consistent increase in regional disparities, with secondary industry emerging as a dominant driver of long-term economic inequality among the indicators analyzed. While a clear inland-to-coastal gradient underscores the persistence of regional disparity determinants, areas with greater economic disparities exhibit pronounced spatio-temporal heterogeneity. Among the models, STWR outperforms others in capturing and interpreting local variations in spatio-temporal disparities, demonstrating its utility in understanding complex regional dynamics. This study provides novel insights into the spatio-temporal determinants of regional economic disparities, offering a robust analytical framework for policymakers to address region-specific variables driving inequality over time and space. These insights contribute to the development of targeted and dynamic policies for promoting balanced and sustainable regional growth. Full article

Under-five child poverty and income inequality are complex socio-economic phenomena that significantly impact the well-being of children worldwide. While there is a growing body of literature addressing child poverty in South Africa, our understanding of settlement discrepancies and factors influencing multidimensional under-five child poverty and income in the country remains limited. This study assesses under-five-specific multidimensional poverty and the determinates of child poverty and inequality in the lowest geographical areas in South Africa. Alkire-Foster’s methodology was applied to construct and estimate the multidimensional poverty index for under-five children across settlement areas. The selected indicators were designed to reflect the unique deprivations and challenges faced by children in this age group. The results showed that there is a significant number of children who are deprived in indicators such as access to ECD (43%), hunger (20%), and education and employment at 69% and 65%, respectively. These are some key variables that require policy interventions to improve the development outcomes of children. The logistic regression results showed that 14 out of the 34 predictors were significant. Inequality was significant and positive at 1%. The findings suggest that more work still needs to be undertaken to improve the living conditions of children, especially in the former homelands, to achieve the goals set in the National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goals. In the past, non-whites were assigned a homeland according to their ethnicity or a place where national or ethnic identity has formed. Full article

A growing literature within the field of air pollution exposure assessment addresses the issue of environmental justice. Leveraging the increasing availability of exposure datasets with broad spatial coverage and high spatial resolution, a number of works have assessed inequalities in exposure across racial/ethnic and other socioeconomic groupings. However, environmental justice research presents the additional need to evaluate exposure inequity—inequality that is systematic, unfair, and avoidable—which may be framed in several ways. We discuss these framings and describe inequality and inequity conclusions provided from several contrasting approaches drawn from recent work. We recommend that future work addressing environmental justice interventions include complementary “Exposure-driven” and “Socially weighted” metrics, taking an intersectional view of areas and social groups that are both disproportionately impacted by pollution and are impacted by additional health risks resulting from structural racism and consider implications for environmental justice beyond distributional equity. Full article

Inequality, malnutrition, poverty, and environmental degradation are some of the global challenges facing humanity. These are aggravated in the context of climate change (CC), envisioning as a utopia to guarantee food security without risking sustainability. Considering the increase in scientific attention on dairy goat production (DGP), we aimed to carry out an exhaustive analysis regarding the evolution of DGP to determine both its socioeconomic and cultural importance during the period 1970–2022 and its possible scenarios for 2050. Over the last half century (1970–2022), dairy goats (DG; 214.01 million heads) have shown an inventory growth of 182%, and this is estimated to increase by 53.37% over the next 28 years (2023–2050). While DGP increased 196% during 1970–2022, it is projected to increase around 71.29% by 2050. Notably, however, the economic value of DGP almost quadrupled (+375%) during 1991–2022, and the same trend is estimated for 2023–2050. Historically, Asia has excelled in both goat inventory and goat milk production volume. This research highlights the crucial role of both goats and DG in the socioeconomic issues in various regions of the world, as they most often represent the only source of income for millions of smallholder families, particularly in developing countries. In the face of CC challenges, goats in general, and DG in particular, show an exceptional potential to be considered the “animal of the future” due to their refined and sophisticated ethological, adaptive, and physiological plasticity under generally clean, green, and ethical production schemes, mainly in marginal contexts in the arid and semi-arid zones of the world. Full article

This study investigates the multifaceted issue of energy poverty, focusing on its spatial and socioeconomic dimensions, with a particular emphasis on the case of Chile. Despite global initiatives like Sustainable Development Goal 7, which advocates for universal access to affordable and reliable energy, millions remain vulnerable to energy poverty. In Chile, this phenomenon is exacerbated by geographic and climatic variability, resulting in significant disparities in energy access, affordability, and efficiency. Using a multidimensional framework adapted from Bouzarovski and Petrova, we assessed energy poverty through factors including household income, fuel costs, energy infrastructure reliability, and regional climate needs. This analysis integrated composite indicators to map vulnerability at the regional level, highlighting high-risk areas primarily in the central and southern regions, where low incomes and dependency on biomass for heating amplified exposure occur. The findings reveal that approximately 4 million Chileans face a high risk of energy poverty, underscoring the need for regionally tailored policies that address both immediate economic constraints and structural energy inequalities. This research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of energy poverty in Chile and offers policy recommendations aimed at reducing socioeconomic disparities and achieving sustainable, equitable energy access. Full article

Urban densification has heightened residents’ demand for equitable access to urban park services, particularly those that support physical activity (PA). This access is crucial for public health and sustainable urban development. We developed the Park-Based Physical Activity Composite Attractiveness Score (PCAS) to assess the supply and service equity of parks at the sub-district scale in the central city of Xianyang, western China. The average PCAS for all parks in the study area was 46, with 69% scoring below the benchmark of 60, indicating that the parks fail to meet residents’ PA needs. We found a significant imbalance in park distribution. The 14 sub-districts we measured had an average supply score of 42 and a demand score of 49, demonstrating a clustering of park services in areas with natural resources and higher socioeconomic status. While the overall park service level was found to be reasonably equitable (Gini coefficient of 0.38), a large gap in the sub-dimensional indicators point to inequities in park services. The following scenario optimization suggested that adding new parks could more effectively enhance equity and residents’ PA levels than simply increasing park facilities. Our results provide valuable insights for urban park planning and policy-making, and contribute to the development of more equitable and accessible park services to achieve public health objectives. Full article

Background: Malaria remains a public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite gains from strategies like Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) and Intermittent Preventive Treatment during pregnancy (IPTp), significant socioeconomic inequalities persist, particularly among pregnant women and children under five. This study analyzed temporal and socioeconomic inequalities in malaria prevention in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods: Nationally representative Demographic Health Surveys from 10 SSA countries (Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda, and Cameroon) were used, comparing two time periods. Changes in ITN use by pregnant women and children under five, as well as IPTp coverage, were assessed. Inequalities based on socioeconomic status (SES) and residence were analyzed using the Erreygers Normalized Concentration Index and Theil index. Results: The results revealed significant variability in ITN use and IPTp coverage within countries. Eight countries showed improvements in ITN use during pregnancy, with Nigeria seeing a 173.9% increase over five years. Burkina Faso and Tanzania consistently reported high ITN use (~87%) in children under five. IPTp coverage increased in all countries except Kenya. Decomposition using the Theil index indicated that within-group inequalities, particularly based on SES and residence, were the primary drivers of disparities. Conclusions: To ensure progress toward universal health coverage, malaria prevention programs must prioritize vulnerable populations and be continuously evaluated. Full article

This study fills a significant research gap by examining the factors influencing the circular economy in Thailand, particularly within the context of developing countries. Utilizing regression and correlation analysis, we investigate key environmental and socioeconomic variables: greenhouse gas emissions, forest area percentage, income levels among the poorest 20% of the population, access to electricity, and income inequality. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive integration of these dimensions to identify barriers and sustainable circular economy. Key findings reveal that higher greenhouse gas emissions correlate with increased recycling, underscoring the need for stricter emission controls and cleaner technologies. Conversely, greater forest coverage is associated with reduced recycled waste, highlighting the importance of forest conservation and sustainable land use. Economic disparities significantly impact recycling efforts, necessitating supportive policies for lower-income groups. Increased access to electricity correlates with higher waste generation, emphasizing the need for sustainable consumption practices. Although income inequality correlates with recycling rates, it is not a significant predictor, indicating the necessity for broader economic and environmental policies. This study offers novel, comprehensive recommendations for advancing Thailand’s circular economy. Strategies include implementing emission controls, enhancing forest conservation, promoting economic empowerment, encouraging sustainable consumption, and developing integrated policies. These recommendations aim to address identified challenges and support sustainable growth in alignment with circular economy goals. Full article

Groundwater is a vital drinking water source, especially in arid regions, sustaining both urban and rural populations. Its quality is influenced by natural (hydrogeological) and human-driven (demographic, policy) factors, which may pose significant public health risks, especially for communities relying on unregulated water supplies. This study addresses critical gaps by examining groundwater vulnerability and contamination disparities, emphasizing their implications for public health and equitable resource management. It analyzes the impact of socio-hydrogeological factors on arsenic and nitrate levels in groundwater-supplied systems in Arizona, U.S. Methods include spatial analysis, ANOVA, multivariate regression, and cluster analysis. Significant disparities in arsenic and nitrate contamination, including exceedances of regulatory limits, were observed across supply types, aquifer characteristics, jurisdictional oversights, and groundwater management areas. Domestic wells and community water systems showed distinct contamination risks. Groundwater vulnerability was influenced by geological differences (karst vs. alluvial aquifers) and regulatory oversight, with Tribal and State systems facing unique challenges and resource needs. Socioeconomic disparities were evident, with minority communities, institutional facilities, rural areas, and specific housing types disproportionately exposed to higher contaminant levels. These findings unveil the intersection of race, socioeconomic status, and public health risks, offering an adaptable framework for addressing similar groundwater challenges in arid and semi-arid regions globally. This study is innovative in its focus on policy distinctions between private and regulated wells, karst and alluvial aquifers, and State and Tribal jurisdictions. It emphasizes the need for targeted vulnerability assessments and remediation strategies that integrate geological, hydrological, and regulatory factors to address risk disparities in vulnerable communities. These environmental inequities underscore the urgent need for stronger regulations and strategic resource allocation to support marginalized communities. The study recommends enhancing monitoring protocols, prioritizing resource distribution, and implementing targeted policy interventions to ensure equitable and sustainable access to safe drinking water in arid regions. Full article

Eliminating poverty, reducing inequality, and achieving balanced development are one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Objectively and accurately measuring regional economic vitality and development equilibrium is a pressing scientific issue that needs to be addressed in order to achieve common prosperity. Nighttime light (NTL) remote sensing data have been proven to be a good proxy variable for socio-economic development, and are widely used due to their advantages of convenient access and wide spatial coverage. Based on multi-source data, this study constructs an Economic Development Index (EDI) that comprehensively reflects regional economic vitality from two aspects, economic quality and development potential, combines the Nighttime Light Development Index (NLDI) as the evaluation indicators to measure the economic vitality and development equilibrium, analyzes the economic vitality and development equilibrium of 300 district and county units in China’s three major urban agglomerations from 2000 to 2020 and their temporal and spatial variation characteristics, and discusses the connotation of EDI and its availability. The results show the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the average growth rate of EDI in China’s three major urban agglomerations reached 36.32%, while the average decrease rate of NLDI reached 38.75%; both economic vitality and the development equilibrium have been continuously enhanced. Among them, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration experienced the fastest economic growth, while the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) exhibited the strongest economic strength. (2) Both economic vitality and the development equilibrium in these three urban agglomerations exhibited distinct spatial agglomeration characteristics, namely center-surrounding distribution, coastal–inland distribution, and radial belt–pole distribution, respectively. (3) Over the past two decades, the economic development of these three urban agglomerations has progressed towards the pattern of regional coordinated development, pole-driven development and urban–rural integrated development. The research results can provide new research perspectives and scientific support for promoting regional balanced development, achieving sustainable development goals, and reducing inequality. Full article

This study contributes to the growing body of research on the relationship between subjective well-being and academic performance in schools by providing a context-specific analysis of Chilean students. Using 2022 SIMCE data—a national standardized assessment in Chile—from 4th and 10th graders (N = 292,725), the research employs hierarchical linear modeling to explore how students’ school happiness relates with performance in language and mathematics, accounting for socioeconomic status, gender, origin, self-efficacy, and previous year’s grades. The findings reveal that students who self-report feeling happy at school tend to perform better academically, though this varies by grade level and subject. In early grades, happiness mitigates the negative effects of low socioeconomic status, with lower-income students benefiting more. By 10th grade, wealthier students and boys show a stronger association between happiness and academic performance, particularly in mathematics. This study also highlights the critical role of self-efficacy in math, showing that students with higher self-efficacy not only perform better but benefit from happiness at school. Additionally, foreign-origin students experience varying benefits, emphasizing the need for culturally responsive and gender-sensitive interventions. These findings underscore the importance of promoting happiness at school and academic self-efficacy to reduce educational inequalities and enhance learning outcomes. Full article

Introduction: Evidence supports the relationships between socioeconomic status and access to health care, incidence of pathologies, and lifestyle. Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate whether there are associations between having a household income below the poverty line, and participation in unhealthy lifestyle habits, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, and the number of comorbidities in US middle-aged and older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on the NHANES 2011–2020. A total of 10,788 US middle-aged and older adults (5653 males and 5135 females) participated in this research. Associations were studied through the Chi-squared test, and odds ratios were calculated using a binary logistic regression model. Results: There were associations between a household income below the poverty line and physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and being or having been an alcoholic. Associations were found between this adverse economic situation and having hypertension, diabetes, liver disease, kidney problems, arthritis, congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, heart attack, stroke, and also with having two or more, three or more, four or more, and five or more comorbidities. Increased odds of being involved in these unhealthy habits and of suffering these diseases and multimorbidity were found for those with a family income below the poverty threshold. Conclusions: The existence of associations between having a family income under the poverty threshold and having unhealthy habits, suffering non-communicable diseases, and having multimorbidity is confirmed in US middle-aged and older adults. Increased odds for various non-communicable diseases, multimorbidity, and for being involved in these unhealthy habits were found for this low-income group. These findings should serve to draw the attention of policy makers to the increased health vulnerability of the adult population below the poverty line in the US. Full article