Secondary Educational Attainment Research Articles

How Do Education and Family Planning Accelerate Fertility Decline?

Education and family planning can both be influenced by policy and are thought to accelerate fertility decline. However, questions remain about the nature of these effects. Does the effect of education operate through increasing educational attainment of women or educational enrollment of children? At which educational level is the effect strongest? Does the effect of family planning operate through increasing contraceptive prevalence or reducing unmet need? Is education or family planning more important?We assessed the quantitative impact of education and family planning in high‐fertility settings using a regression framework inspired by Granger causality. We found that women's attainment of lower secondary education is key to accelerating fertility decline and found an accelerating effect of contraceptive prevalence for modern methods. We found the impact of contraceptive prevalence to be substantially larger than that of education. These accelerating effects hold in sub‐Saharan Africa, but with smaller effect sizes there than elsewhere.

Political Secularism and Muslim Integration in the West: Assessing the Effects of the French Headscarf Ban

In response to rising immigration flows and the fear of Islamic radicalization, several Western countries have enacted policies to restrict religious expression and emphasize secularism and Western values. Despite intense public debate, there is little systematic evidence on how such policies influence the behavior of the religious minorities they target. In this paper, we use rich quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate the effects of the 2004 French headscarf ban on the socioeconomic integration of French Muslim women. We find that the law reduces the secondary educational attainment of Muslim girls and affects their trajectory in the labor market and family composition in the long run. We provide evidence that the ban operates through increased perceptions of discrimination and that it strengthens both national and religious identities.

Education elasticities of young women fertility in sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT Although the relationship between education and fertility is well established, an understanding of young women’s fertility responses to education over time is needed to enhance a critical appraisal of education elasticities of fertility. This study thus comparatively investigates education effects on fertility in Ethiopia, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Multivariate fixed effects logistic regression and direct decomposition methods were applied to Demographic and Health Survey data between 1999 and 2011. Results showed that declines in youth fertility in Ethiopia and Rwanda were driven by decrease in fertility rates of those with primary education but in the Zimbabwe youth fertility changes were driven by those with secondary or higher educational attainment. We conclude that education elasticities of fertility are not constant but vary by country and stage of fertility transition. Countries that are more advanced in fertility transition therefore need to place focus on enhancing post-secondary education to sustain fertility transition.

Assimilation of immigrants: Does earlier school exposure matter?

This paper studies the effect of migration age on school performance. We exploit that siblings have different migration age, but share the same family background to identify the effect of migration age on educational attainment in lower secondary education in Norway. We estimate a separate effect for migrants from countries with low access to a high quality school system.We find negative effects of migration age on exam results, and larger effects for migrants from countries with low school access. Language intensive subjects are substantially affected for all migrants, while there are differences according to school access for mathematics performance.

Aiming High and Missing the Mark? Educational Choice, Dropout Risk, and Achievement in Upper Secondary Education among Children of Immigrants in Denmark

Abstract Although children of immigrant origin in many European countries are observed to choose higher levels of education than native-origin peers at similar levels of academic performance, little is known about the outcomes of these high-aspiring choices. Using administrative register data covering all children born in 1994–1995 in Denmark, I examine whether the high-aspiring educational choices of children of immigrants convert into educational success or, conversely, into low grades and increased dropout rates. I find that, compared with children of Danish origin, children of immigrants are not only more likely to enrol in academic upper secondary education but also make more ambitious track and subject choices at this educational level. These ethnic choice effects are particularly pronounced at low levels of academic performance. Applying a counterfactual re-weighting approach, I show that, although ethnic choice effects reduce the ethnic gap in overall attainment of academic upper secondary education, they also widen ethnic gaps in dropout rates and achievement. My findings indicate that high aspirations among ethnic minorities operate as a double-edged sword as they help close the educational gap between them and their native-origin peers but at the cost of inducing academically weaker students to embark on less feasible educational trajectories.

Secular changes in child marriage and secondary school completion among rural adolescent girls in India

Background Child marriage (<18 years) and school drop-out disproportionately affect girls living in impoverished households in rural areas, with long-term economic and health consequences. Improving retention in education, and delaying age at marriage and first pregnancy have received substantial attention at the national and global level, in line with the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (2015-2030). Methods We examined changes over time in economic, education and child marriage indicators among adolescents from rural households in (i) Northern Karnataka (the most deprived region of Karnataka), (ii) Karnataka state, and (iii) all India, using individualized data from four pre-existing, nationally-representative datasets (District Level Household and Facility Surveys (DLHS 2-4) (2002/4–2012/3) and the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) (2015-16)). Results At the national and state level, we found large improvements in secondary educational attainment among girls and boys living in rural settings (proportion of adolescents completing age-appropriate secondary school education (all India): girls 12.4% 2002/3 vs. 31.6% 2015/6; boys 18.9% 2002/4 vs. 36.8% 2015/6). We also observed large reductions in child marriage and early child-bearing rates (proportion of married women aged 18-24 years married <18 years: 62.4% 2002/4 vs. 23.8% 2015/6; proportion of married girls aged <19 years who are pregnant or have children: 62.4% 2002/4 vs. 21.9% 2015/6). In addition, we found evidence of “clustered deprivations”, whereby girls in rural areas from the poorest families and lowest castes continue to experience multiple forms of disadvantage, with child marriage significantly associated with scheduled caste / scheduled tribe (SC/ST) caste (odds ratio (OR)=1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.18-1.32), poorest quintile (OR=2.38, 95% CI=2.21-2.55) and illiteracy (OR=2.09, 95% CI=1.95-2.23); and not completing secondary education significantly associated with SC/ST caste (OR=1.52, 95% CI=1.45-1.59), poorest quintile (OR=4.17, 95% CI=3.90-4.46), and child marriage (OR=2.05, 95% CI=1.85-2.26). Conclusions The results show substantial improvements in economic, educational and child marriage indicators at the state and national level over the past 14 years. The government has implemented multiple programmes and policies to address child marriage and school drop-out, and these trends suggest such efforts may be having a positive impact. If India is to achieve the SDGs, designing targeted interventions to reach those who continue to be left furthest behind is going to be key.

Educational attainment and the Brexit vote

The Brexit vote is the most significant political event in recent British history. We present bivariate choropleth maps comparing the Leave vote share with age-adjusted secondary educational attainment. This provides an immediate visual representation of the spatial and bivariate correlations between these variables, as well as their geographical distribution. Only 12 of the 85 local authorities that voted Remain had lower than expected age-adjusted educational attainment; only 10 of the 95 local authorities in which the Leave vote share exceeded 60% had higher than expected age-adjusted educational attainment. While the effectiveness of choropleth maps for exploring the spatial characteristics of bivariate relationships has been discussed by a number of authors, our technique of using borders to highlight a threshold value appears to be under-utilised.

Longitudinal analyses of educational outcomes for youth transitioning out of care in the US: trends and influential factors

ABSTRACTThis paper draws on data collected from two of the most extensive longitudinal studies of care leavers in the US. The Midwest Study (2003–2011) included 732 youths in foster care in three Midwestern states, and the CalYOUTH Study (2012–present) includes 727 youths in California foster care. The paper has three objectives: (1) describe trends in secondary and postsecondary educational attainment at different ages; (2) summarise findings on predictors of educational attainment; and (3) summarise findings on the impact of extended foster care (EFC) on educational attainment. Results from these two studies show that by age 21, 77–85% of care leavers finish a secondary credential and 31–52% enrol in college. By age 25, about 8% have earned a college degree. Results from multivariate analyses find that youths’ educational background and parental status were consistently associated with later educational attainment. Specific aspects of social support also influenced college outcomes. Life demands after enrolling in college (e.g. employment, parenthood) played a more influential role in college degree attainment than did aspects of youths’ background. Characteristics of colleges also predicted youths’ odds of degree completion. Finally, existing evidence suggests that EFC promotes secondary credential completion and college entry, but not college persistence or degree completion.

“Del dicho al hecho hay un gran trecho”: Obstáculos para la expansión de la escolaridad media en Uruguay.

El presente artículo analiza los obstáculos que han tenido los gobiernos del Frente Amplio para construir políticas que permitieran concretar la letra de la Ley General de Educación de 2008 en cuanto a la consagración del derecho a la educación y el cumplimiento con la obligatoriedad escolar de la educación media. Para ello, se realizó un análisis cualitativo de documentos (normas e informes institucionales) y de 49 entrevistas semi-estructuradas realizadas a autoridades educativas, mandos medios, legisladores, sindicalistas, responsables de programas de inclusión educativa y especialistas realizadas entre los años 2011 y 2015. De este modo, se identificaron tres fuentes de bloqueo en el proceso de la política educativa del nivel medio: la fragmentación institucional del sistema educativo; el desacuerdo ideológico entre las autoridades gubernamentales y dentro del partido de gobierno; y el veto ejercido por el actor sindical de secundaria. La interacción de estos factores permite comprender el estancamiento de la política educativa de secundaria en el período 2005-2017.

Interprovincial differences in labour force distribution and utilization based on educational attainment in Indonesia, 2002–2015

AbstractIntroducing an employment variable with five levels of educational attainment per capita and employing inequality decomposition, this study addresses three questions. How does labour force vary by education and provinces? How does labour force utilization vary by education and provinces? What are the potential causes of differences? We find that the no‐primary‐education group is more endowed in less‐developed provinces and allocated most unequally among education groups across provinces, despite past universal primary education policies. The senior‐secondary‐education group with the largest labour share is a growing concern due to the lower employment rate and largest interprovincial inequality.

Beyond the basics: Access and equity in the expansion of post-compulsory schooling in Vietnam

Human capital development, including the expansion and improvement of schooling, has played a crucial role in Vietnam’s strong and relatively inclusive economic growth in recent years. Universal access to primary and lower secondary education have been achieved, but progression to upper secondary remains, for the most part, rationed by entrance examinations and the payment of fees. Both supply and access have improved strongly at upper secondary level since the 1990s, in line with rising demand for higher skilled school-leavers. However, it is less clear whether access to upper secondary schooling, and its wider social and economic benefits, is provided equitably. In this paper we employ a unique longitudinal dataset to examine the patterns of both access and attainment in upper secondary education in Vietnam. We consider their implications for equitable educational progression and the extent to which, in light of these patterns, the system can be described as meritocratic.

The prevalence of multimorbidity measured by linked healthcare data and its association with mortality in a large longitudinal cohort

IntroductionMultimorbidity, the co-existence of two or more health conditions, is a growing challenge. It may be measured using health service administrative data via the emerging consensus measure by Barnett. However, the original Barnett was developed using Scottish-specific primary care coding, which restricts its application in other health systems.&#x0D; Objectives and ApproachThe aim was to create and test International Classification of Disease (ICD) coding algorithms for all 40 Barnett conditions.&#x0D; We evaluated this new measure by:&#x0D; &#x0D; Assessing the prevalence of secondary care multimorbidity in 2001&#x0D; Assessing the association between multimorbidity and mortality rate over 15 years&#x0D; &#x0D; Participants of the Aberdeen Children of the 1950s cohort (ACONF) were linked to their secondary-care healthcare records and mortality records. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more of the 40 conditions. The association between multimorbidity and mortality was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression with adjustment for key covariates.&#x0D; ResultsWe combined results of a review of the coding literature with codes used commonly by the National Health Service in Scotland, to apply ICD codes to each Barnett condition.&#x0D; The ACONF were aged 45 to 51 years in 2001. Of 8,094 members who were alive and linked to Scottish administrative data, 246 (3%) had multimorbidity. There were 629 deaths by 2016 with 83 occurring in the multimorbidity group.&#x0D; Relative to those without multimorbidity, those with multimorbidity in 2001 had a mortality hazard ratio (HR) of 5.9 (95% CI 4.6-7.4) over 15 years follow-up. This was unchanged when adjusted for age, gender, social class at birth, cognition at age 7, secondary school type and educational attainment (HR 6.2, 95% CI 4.4-8.5).&#x0D; Conclusion/ImplicationsWe have created a new version of the influential Barnett measure using ICD codes, which allows for its wider application across health systems. We found that this measure of multimorbidity was associated with greatly increased mortality, indicating it could help predict poor outcome using administrative records.

The prevalence of multimorbidity measured by linked healthcare data and its association with mortality in a large longitudinal cohort

BackgroundMultimorbidity, the co-existence of two or more health conditions, is a growing challenge. It has been measured using health service administrative data via the emerging consensus measure by Barnett (containing 40 health conditions). However,this was developed using Scottish-specific primary care coding, which restricts its application in other health systems.&#x0D; ObjectivesThe aim was to create International Classification of Disease (ICD) coding algorithms for all Barnett conditions, and evaluate the new measure by assessing the prevalence of multimorbidity and its association with mortality in the AberdeenChildren of the 1950s (ACONF) cohort.&#x0D; MethodWe combined results of a coding literature review with codes used commonly by the Scottish National Health Service, to identify ICD codes to each condition.&#x0D; Participants of the ACONF were linked to their secondary care healthcare records and mortality records. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more of the 40 conditions. The association between multimorbidity and mortalitywas assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression with adjustment for key covariates (age, gender, social class at birth, cognition at age 7, secondary school type and educational attainment).&#x0D; FindingsThe ACONF were aged 45 to 51 years in 2001. Of 8,094 ACONF members linked to administrative data, 246 (3%) had multimorbidity. Relative to those without multimorbidity, those with multimorbidity had a mortality hazard ratio (HR) of 5.9 (95% CI 4.6-7.4) over 15 years follow-up. This was unchanged when adjusted for covariates (HR 6.2, 95% CI 4.4-8.5).&#x0D; ConclusionWe have created a new version of the influential Barnett measure using ICD codes, which allows for its wider application across health systems. This measure of multimorbidity was associated with increased mortality, indicating it could helppredict poor outcome using administrative records.

Social Structure, Social Learning, and the Severity of Physical Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Nigeria

Using the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) of 2013, this study applies the social structure (feminist) and social learning perspective in understanding the severity of physical intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nigeria. About 26,403 married women were analyzed from the 2013 NDHS data. Multinomial regression was used to analyze variables that capture the social structural and social learning perspectives in relation to women's experience of minor and severe physical IPV. The study revealed that primary and secondary educational attainment, and being employed predicted severe physical IPV victimization. Alcohol consumption by the respondents' spouses, being a victim of childhood abuse, and witnessing IPV between parents predicted severe physical IPV. The finding of this study implies that experiences of IPV take place within a sociocultural context that shapes the social realities of the average Nigerian woman.

Foreign Direct Investment in Africa – Does Human Capital Development Matter?

The primary objective of this study was to examine the effect of human capital development on foreign direct investment, using a panel of nine African countries, during the period 2009 -2016. We analysed our data using the panel data method. Building on from eclectic theory, the results from the random effects model show that human capital development positively influences inward FDI and the relationship is statistically significant. Other FDI determinants that emerged were real exchange rate that was positive and very significant at 1%, while the lag of FDI and infrastructural development were positive and significant at 5%. In light of these findings, we therefore recommend that host countries promote the attainment of secondary school education and post-school skills in order to enhance the attraction of host countries to FDI inflows. Further to this, they should ensure that their investment and macroeconomic policies are suitable to ensure capital accumulation, which will spur productivity and increase employment. As such, we can confirm that indeed human capital development matters for African economies.

Alcohol Consumption Among Ghanaian Women of Child Bearing Age – What are the Correlates?

Abstract This paper examines the demographic and socio-economic correlates of alcohol consumption and drinking frequency among Ghanaian women aged 15-49 years. The study utilizes the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data, which remains the most recent DHS for studying the phenomenon in Ghana. Using logistic regression, our findings indicate that alcohol consumption among Ghanaian women is influenced by age, education, and wealth status. In addition, while health insurance ownership significantly affects alcohol consumption among urban women, employment status is reported to be a significant determinant among rural women. Results from the ordered logistic regression show that age, wealth status, pregnancy status, and place of residence are significant predictors of alcohol drinking frequency among Ghanaian women. Moreover, while secondary educational attainment is significant among urban women, primary educational attainment is significant among rural women. The study concludes that the predictors of alcohol consumption and drinking frequency among women of childbearing age in Ghana vary by place of residence (i.e., rural vs urban).

Timing and Determinants of Tuberculosis Treatment Interruption in Nairobi County, Kenya

Tuberculosis (TB) treatment is a key pillar in the management and control of TB. Service delivery within the treatment facilities plays an important role in ensuring treatment adherence by TB patients. A prospective cohort study involving 25 health facilities, 25 facility in-charge officers and 291 patients diagnosed as new sputum smear positive (SM+) between December 2014 and July 2015 was undertaken. The aim of the study was to estimate the median time to treatment interruption, associated factors and overall predictors of non-adherence to TB treatment. A total of 19 (6.5%) treatment interruptions were observed. The median time to default was 56 [95% CI, 36-105] days. Treatment in a non-public facility [AOR=0.210, 95% CI (0.046-0.952)] and facilities perceived to have adequate number of health care workers to offer Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) [AOR=0.195, 95% CI (0.068-0.56)] showed a lower odds of treatment interruption whereas attainment of secondary level education [AOR=5.28, 95% CI (1.18-23.59)] indicated a higher odds of treatment interruption. Non-clinical aspects of health care service delivery influence patient adherence to TB treatment. Health seeking behavior of groups considered to be high risk for treatment interruption should be incorporated into the design and delivery of TB treatment.

Evaluating the complex interactions between malaria and cholera prevalence, neglected tropical disease comorbidities, and community perception of health risks of climate change

ABSTRACTThe burgeoning literature on the climate change–human health nexus has focused almost exclusively on the health impacts of climate change with little attention to how ill-health and disease influence public perception of the health risks of climate change. Based on a cross-sectional survey of 1,253 individuals, linear regression was used to examine the independent effects of malaria and cholera prevalence, and neglected tropical disease comorbidities on perceived health risks of climate change. Individuals who reported more comorbidities had higher scores on perceived health risks of climate change compared with those who did not report any comorbidities. Unexpectedly, at the multivariate level, there were no statistically significant relationships between age of respondents, gender, and educational attainment on the one hand, and perceived health risks of climate change on the other hand. Individuals who were diagnosed with cholera in the past 12 months had higher scores on perceived health risks of climate change but there was no relationship between diagnosis with malaria in the past 12 months and perceived health risks. Individuals who had attained secondary education had lower scores on perceived health risks of climate change compared with those without any formal education. Given that this relationship did not exist at the bivariate level, it indicates that biosocial and sociocultural factors suppressed the relationship between secondary education attainment and perceived health risks of climate change. The findings underscore the complex relationship between perceived health risks of climate change and infectious disease, comorbidities, compositional, and contextual factors at the multivariate level.

Factors Associated With Quitting Among Smoking Pregnant Women From Small Town and Rural Areas in Poland.

Smoking rates among women in Poland are high, and access to specialized smoking cessation services in rural areas are limited. The aim of this study was to assess factors related to quitting among pregnant women who smoke in rural areas of Poland. Data were collected during interviews conducted by midwives among 4512 women at various stages of their pregnancy. The interviews took place in small towns with populations having less than 8000 residents, located within 12 out of 16 voivodships (provinces). We used exhaled carbon monoxide to verify self-reported smoking status. Overall, 38% of women interviewed (n = 1578) smoked before they found out they were pregnant. Among these women, 33% quit just after they had become aware of their pregnancy. The main predictors of early quitting were: higher educational attainment among pregnant women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.81-5.68), secondary educational attainment among their partners (AOR 1.63; 95% CI = 1.06-2.48), and not having children (AOR 1.71; 95% CI = 1.31-2.24). The main barriers to early quitting were: living with at least one current smoker (AOR 0.55, 95% CI = 0.39-0.76), being single (AOR 0.45; 95% CI = 0.29-0.71), and having both parents smoke cigarettes (AOR 0.67; 95% CI = 0.46-0.97). A modest proportion of women included in this study quit after they became aware of their pregnancy. However, women faced multiple barriers to quitting, including the smoking status of their family members. The factors identified in the study can inform the design of tailored interventions for pregnant women in rural areas. Smoking rates among women in Poland are high, and access to specialized smoking cessation services in rural areas are limited. This study found that women were motivated to quit smoking, and many quit after they had become aware of their pregnancy. However, women faced multiple barriers to quitting, including the smoking status of their family members. The factors identified in the study can inform the design of tailored interventions for pregnant women in rural areas.

Contraceptive Use, Unwanted Pregnancies and Abortions among Hairdressers in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria.

The study was conducted in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria to determine prevalence and predictors of contraceptive use, unwanted pregnancies and induced abortions among hairdressers. 1687 female hairdressers were surveyed using a cross sectional design and cluster sampling technique. Mean age was 27.0±8.1 years, 851 (50.4%) were single and 1005 (59.6%) qualified hairdressers. 817 (56.8%) of sexually active were currently using contraception. Attainment of secondary school education was a predictor of contraceptive use; OR=1.4, 95% CI (1.1-1.8). 429 (29.8%) ever had an unwanted pregnancy; 26.5 % among singles, 32.3 % among married. Predictors of unwanted pregnancies were age >30years; OR=1.9, 95% CI (1.4-2.5) and being a qualified hairdresser; OR=1.6, 95% CI (1.2-2.2). 347 (24.1%) ever had an induced abortion; 21.5.0 % of singles, 26% of married. Being married; OR=5.2, 95% CI (2.2-11.9) was the only predictor of induced abortion. Prevalence of unwanted pregnancies and abortions were high especially among married hairdressers.