Equity in an Educational Boom: lessons from the expansion and marketisation of tertiary schooling in Poland

Family background, financial constraints and higher education attendance in China

This article is devoted to the analysis of social practices in the field of higher education, formed in post-Soviet Central Asian countries, with specific references to Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan was sig-nificantly affected by the collapse of the Soviet system: breaking ties with many leading former Soviet universities entailed irreversible processes in changing of the entire infrastructure of higher education in the country. Last decades to take place the process of reduction of middle level edu-cation and closure of vocational colleges. These has caused a sharp transition of school graduates to higher education unit, thereby increasing its demand. New opportunities allow studying as well as undergoing internships abroad, tuition fee free education based on the state grant. But there is a differentiation in access to quality higher education and increase of economic barriers to obtain it for children from lower-income families. These differences in access contributed to the formation of «elite» and «mass» universities in the educational space of Kazakhstan and the concentration of youth from lower-income families in non-prestigious educational institutions with low tuition fee. Thereby there is a risk that such situation can increase influence of social background on labour market outcomes (salary and occupational status). In the article the significance of the economic capital in the market of higher education and the social consequences of the choice of “affordable” vocational education are analyzed. Key words: higher education, access to education, economic barriers, high-income families, lower income families, family resource potential.

Stunting is a nutritional problem that hinders the growth process of toddlers. Toddler stunting has a negative impact that will last in the next life. According to UNICEF (2011), the nutritional status of children can be directly affected by factors, namely gender and low birth weight. Indirect factors, namely health status, infectious diseases/ Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI), diarrhea with low family income, parenting patterns, and not exclusive breastfeeding. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between low birth weight, exclusive breastfeeding, family income, and infectious diseases with the incidence of stunting in toddlers aged 24-59 months in the Mangasa Health Center Work Area in 2020. This was a case control study involving a total of 30 stunted and non-stunded children in each. The independent variables were low birth weight breastfeeding exclusive, family income, and infectious diseases, while the dependent variable is stunting. The study results show that children with low birth weight were like to have stunting 5.7 times than normal birth weight (p=0.007). Similarly, children with formula and mixed feeding were likely to have stunting 5 times (p=0.015) than exclusively breastfed children. Poor family income and the presence of infectious disease were also contributed to stunting (OR= 7; p= 0.025, OR= 5.7, p= 0.007, respectively). In conclusion, the family income variable is the variable that has the most incidence of stunting among children aged 24 – 59 months.

This project was designed to provide a broad image of AFNR human resources to better understand the factors causing the downtrend in enrolment in AFNR courses. Specifically, it aimed to determine the socio-economic condition, how their education was financed, and the factors influencing the choice of program. Furthermore, the project determined the effectiveness of HEI programs and services, relevance and importance of knowledge/skills acquired from course/degree program, and the employment opportunities of its graduates. Results of the study showed that majority of in-school students and graduates belonged to below average income families whose main occupations were farming, forestry, and fisheries. Low family Income and inability to pay fees were found as reasons for the dropping out of students in AFNR degree programs and shifting to other degree courses that are more affordable. The socio-economic and financial condition of students influences their decisions in choosing degree programs and HEI. Students are more concerned with looking for degree programs that are provided with scholarships that could help them pursue and finish their college education. With regards to the choice of HEI, most of them have chosen schools that are reputable as excellent academic institutions, high employability of graduates, cheap/affordable tuition fees, reputation in the field of study, and as renowned research institutions. Students and graduates were very satisfied as to the effectiveness of HEIs programs and services offered in general, as well as the knowledge/skills acquired from degree courses. Students were aware of the counseling center or services available in the campus and felt very satisfied with regards to campus security. Graduates perceived that the knowledge and understanding, general qualities, general skills, and specialized acquired from degree courses are very relevant to their job performance and employers are very satisfied with the overall college/university preparation of their AFNR employees.

Despite repeated attempts to integrate competing perspectives (Szelenyi and Kostello 1996; Nee and Matthews 1996), the ongoing market transition debate has shown no signs of resolution. Instead, the 1996 AJS market transition symposium seems to have created more controversy than it settled (Nee 1996; Xie and Hannum 1996; Oberschall 1996; Parish and Michelson 1996; Walder 1996; Fligstein 1996; Szelenyi and Kostello 1996). And subsequent studies continue to reach nearly opposite conclusions (cf. Bian and Logan 1996; Gerber and Hout 1998; with Brainerd 1998; Nee and Cao, in press). When arguments become polarized, it often signals that divisions are falsely drawn (Bates 1997). Although originally made in another context, this observation is applicable here. As principals in this lively debate, we believe that clarification and reevaluation are essential for moving toward a reconciliation of competing viewpoints. In this comment we therefore identify the central issues in the controversy and provide an overall assessment of existing empirical evidence

The articles published in this issue of the Journal help advance the debate on market reform in former socialist states. In our comment, besides dealing with data analysis issues, we suggest several ways to improve the level of debate about substantive issues. These suggestions include more attention to politics, including path dependence, and more attention to middle-level generalizations from other developing market societies.

This study analyzes the factors influencing tuition fee increases using spatial regression models. It employs various spatial correlation analysis methods to investigate the geographical correlation of tuition fees among universities and analyzes regional differences and characteristics in tuition fees. To do this, the study focuses on a total of 193 four-year general and education universities and 174 vocational colleges in South Korea in 2022. It observes the concentration tendencies of university distributions using the QGIS program, identifies spatial correlations of university tuition fees through Moran's Index and LISA Index analyses, and finally, utilizes spatial regression models to analyze the factors affecting tuition fee increases. One of the key findings of this research is the identification of spatial correlations among university tuition fees. Tuition fees at adjacent universities are more likely to rise or fall together, and there is a tendency for high tuition fee universities to be geographically concentrated. Additionally, based on prior domestic and international research, this study uncovers internal and external determinants influencing university tuition fees. It uses spatial regression models to specifically analyze and interpret which factors impact tuition fee increases. Admission capacity, freshman competition rate, number of international students, per capita scholarships, dormitory occupancy rate, per capita library resources, and per capita regional total income were confirmed to have a positive (+) impact on university tuition fees, while per capita educational expenses showed a negative (-) impact. The decision to increase university tuition fees should be made by considering multiple factors and should be transparent and fair. To ensure a more equitable distribution of educational resources and prevent excessive economic burdens on students while maintaining educational quality, a fair tuition fee policy should be developed through organic cooperation between the government, universities, and students.

Earnings data on a nationally representative sample of Indonesian adults show that males have significantly lower returns to secondary and tertiary schooling than females. These differences are greatest at the level of Diploma 1 and vocational secondary education, but are still substantial for nonvocational secondary schooling and university education. The estimated returns to schooling are also greater for older cohorts than for younger cohorts, although the inter-cohort differences are identical for males and females. It appears that women in Indonesia have been acquiring secondary and tertiary education in relatively larger numbers than men in recent years, perhaps in response to the greater relative returns to female higher education. However, there is still a gap between male and female enrollments at the secondary and tertiary levels. The analysis in this paper does not show many strong and systematic gender differences in the effects of household and community characteristics on school enrollments.

SUMÁRIO O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar se a baixa ingestão de zinco relatada para a população da área urbana da cidade de Manaus, no Estado do Amazonas, está associada com niveis balxos de zinco sérico. O estudo foi realizado com trabaIhadores percebendo salários baixos, em quatro fábricas de Manaus. Duas destas fábricas forneciam alimentação e assistência médica. A média e a mediana da ingestão de zinco dietético, foi 54.7% e 49.3% respectivamente das recomendações diárias. americanas. A ingestão de zinco foi mais alta nos trabalhadores nascidos em Manaus, que possuiam um meIhor nível de escolaridade e que tinham renda familiar mais alta, mas essas diferenças foram evidentes unicamente nas fábricas que não forneciam refeição. A ingestão de zinco diminui com a idade em ambos os sexos, sendo mais alto nos homens do que nas mulheres em todos os grupos por idade. Essa tendência foi observada em todas as fábricas. Não houve diferença significativa do nível de zinco sérico entre homens e mulheres. Porém o valor de zinco no soro tende a declinar também com a idade em ambos os sexos. A média do nível de zinco sérico de trabalhadores com renda familiar baixa e média foi significativamente mais baixa do que trabalhadores com renda familiar alta (P<.001. P<.05). 34% de todos os trabalhadores com renda familiar baixa, 26% com renda familiar média e 17% com renda familiar alta, tinham níveis de zinco sérico deficientes (< 11.5 μmol/l). A concentração de zinco no soro foi relacionada com ingestão de zinco do sexo masculino (r=0.26 p<.02) mas não em operários do sexo feminino (r=0.11 p<.1). A ingestão de zinco em trabalhadores de ambos os sexos com nível de zinco sérico déficiente foi significativamente mais baixa do que aqueles com nível de zinco sérico normal. A ingesta de zinco nos homens foi mais alta do que nas mulheres para todos os níveis de zinco sérico.

Variability in sociodemographic factors and obesity in Korean children: a cross-sectional analysis of Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination survey data (2007–2015)

Relations between early family risk, children's behavioral regulation, and academic achievement

A retrospective cohort study. To investigate the point prevalence and risk factors of perceived stress in elderly patients with osteoporotic spinal fractures. Osteoporotic fractures, common in the elderly, are often complicated by stress-related psychological factors, which can affect recovery outcomes. However, the specific impact of perceived stress on these fractures remains underexplored. This study included 190 elderly patients with osteoporotic spinal fractures, of whom 43 (22.6%) were diagnosed with perceived stress and 147 (77.4%) were in the nonperceived stress group at The First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China between January 1, 2020 and September 20, 2021. Patients were assessed for perceived stress using the Chinese 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Sociodemographic and disease characteristics were evaluated, and the incidence of refracture and kyphosis was compared between patients with and without perceived stress. Statistical analyses included χ 2 tests and binary logistic regression. Univariate analysis identified pain, gender, living alone, personality type, monthly family income, and prognosis expectations as significant factors associated with perceived stress ( P <0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that living alone (OR=321.176, 95% CI: 41.489-2486.319), low monthly family income (OR=291.667, 95% CI: 28.645-2969.798), introversion (OR=356.188, 95% CI: 72.770-1743.438), poor prognosis expectations (OR=2.791, 95% CI: 0.745-10.457), traumatic history (OR=194.750, 95% CI: 42.492-892.579), and intense pain (OR=6.857, 95% CI: 3.458-13.598) were significant risk factors (OR>1) for perceived stress. Patients with perceived stress had a higher incidence of refracture and kyphosis ( P <0.05). Female gender, living alone, low family income, introversion, intense pain, and poor prognosis expectations are significant risk factors for perceived stress in elderly patients with osteoporotic fractures. Perceived stress is also linked to a higher incidence of local kyphosis and refractures. Individualized treatment plans integrating psychosocial care are essential for optimizing recovery in this patient population.

Objective. To examine factors associated with weight change and obesity risk in young and middle-aged adults. Subjects/methods. The Young Finns Study with its 923 women and 792 men aged 24–39 years at baseline were followed for six years. Variables associated with the weight change were investigated with regression models. Results. The average weight change was 0.45 kg/year in women and 0.58 kg/year in men. In women, weight change was steady across all ages. In men, weight changes were more pronounced in younger age groups. In women (weight gain > 2 kg, n = 490), medication for anxiety, low occupational status, high baseline BMI (body mass index), high intake of sweet beverages, high childhood BMI, high salt (NaCl and/or KCl) use, low number of children, low childhood family income, high stature and low level of dependence (a temperament subscale) were associated with increased weight gain (in the order of importance). In men (weight gain > 2 kg, n = 455), high stature, high intake of french fries, low intake of sweet cookies, young age, recent divorce, low intake of cereals, high intake of milk, depressive symptoms, rural childhood origin, high baseline BMI and unemployment were associated with more pronounced weight gain. Sedentarity (screen-time) was associated with weight gain only in young men. Physical activity and genetic risk for high BMI (score of 31 known variants) were not consistently associated with weight change. Conclusions. Socio-economic factors, temperamental and physical characteristics, and some dietary factors are related with weight change in young/middle-aged adults. The weight change occurring in adulthood is also determined by childhood factors, such as high BMI and low family income.

BackgroundResilience reflects coping with pregnancy-specific stress, including physiological adaptations of the maternal organism or factors arising from the socioeconomic context, such as low income, domestic violence, drug and alcohol use, lack of a support network and other vulnerability characteristics. Resilience is a dynamic characteristic that should be comparatively evaluated within a specific context; its association with perceived stress and social vulnerability during pregnancy is still not fully understood. This study aimed at exploring maternal resilience, perceived stress and social vulnerability during pregnancy and its associated factors and outcomes.MethodsProspective multicenter cohort study of nulliparous women in Brazil determining resilience (Resilience Scale; RS) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale; PSS) at 28 weeks of gestation (± 1 week). Resilience and stress scores were compared according to sociodemographic characteristics related to maternal/perinatal outcomes and social vulnerability, defined as having low level of education, being adolescent, without a partner or ethnicity other than white.ResultsWe included 383 women who completed the RS and PSS instruments. Most women showed low resilience scores (median: 124.0; IQR 98–143). Women with a low resilience score (RS < 125) were more likely from the Northeast region, adolescents, other than whites, did not study or work, had a low level of education, low family income and received public antenatal care. Higher scores of perceived stress were shown in the Northeast, other than whites, at low levels of education, low annual family income and public antenatal care. Pregnant women with low resilience scores (n = 198) had higher perceived stress scores (median = 28) and at least one vulnerability criterion (n = 181; 91.4%).ConclusionOur results reinforce the role of resilience in protecting women from vulnerability and perceived stress. It may prevent complications and build a positive experience during pregnancy.

The objective of this paper is to examine patterns of cognitive delay at 24 and 48 months and quantify the effects of perinatal and sociodemographic risk factors on persistent and variable cognitive delay. Using data from 7,200 children in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), multiple logistic regression models identified significant predictors of low cognitive functioning at 24 and 48 months. Additional multiple logistic models predicting cognitive delay at 48 months were estimated separately for children with and without delay at 24 months. Of the nearly 1,000 children delayed at 24 months, 24.2% remained delayed by 48 months; 7.9% of the children not delayed at 24 months exhibited delay at 48 months. Low and very low birthweight increased cognitive delay risk at 24, but not 48 months. Low maternal education had a strongly increasing effect (OR = 2.3 at 24 months, OR = 13.7 at 48 months), as did low family income (OR = 1.4 at 24 months, OR = 7.0 at 48 months). Among children delayed at 24 months, low maternal education predicted delay even more strongly at 48 months (OR = 30.5). Low cognitive functioning is highly dynamic from 24 to 48 months. Although gestational factors including low birthweight increase children’s risk of cognitive delay at 24 months, low maternal education and family income are more prevalent in the pediatric population and are much stronger predictors of both persistent and emerging delay between ages 24 and 48 months.