Demographic Changes Research Articles

Celebrations of Ageing in Late Adulthood: The Hindu Perspective

During the last two decades, the ageing literature has emphasised the need for positive features of the ageing experience, and the need to reframe late-life perspectives. This becomes a more salient issue with demographic changes in ageing seen worldwide. Since 1965, the flow of immigrants to the United States from India has been steadily rising, including Hindus from India. Every culture consecrates periods of life or developmental milestones with rituals, traditions, or festivities. From the Vedic period, celebrations have been stipulated by the Hindu scriptures for different periods of late adulthood. Specifically, this project focused on the Saṣtiabdhapūrti celebration that marks the completion of the sixtieth birthday. Through face-to-face interviews conducted with 12 Vedic scholars/Hindu priests in the USA, the contemporary practices of Hindu immigrants in the United States were examined in this study. The goal of this project was to increase awareness and understanding of culturally diverse ageing experiences. How we view ageing and late life has implications for how we treat the elderly in our society, and how we regard our own personal ageing.

Understanding the Role of Alcohol in Metabolic Dysfunction and Male Infertility

Purpose: Over the past 40–50 years, demographic shifts and the obesity epidemic have coincided with significant changes in lifestyle habits, including a rise in excessive alcohol consumption. This increase in alcohol intake is a major public health concern due to its far-reaching effects on human health, particularly on metabolic processes and male reproductive function. This narrative review focuses on the role of alcohol consumption in altering metabolism and impairing testicular function, emphasizing the potential damage associated with both acute and chronic alcohol intake. Conclusion: Chronic alcohol consumption has been shown to disrupt liver function, impair lipid metabolism, and dysregulate blood glucose levels, contributing to the development of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and related systemic diseases. In terms of male reproductive health, alcohol can significantly affect testicular function by lowering testosterone levels, reducing sperm quality, and impairing overall fertility. The extent of these effects varies, depending on the frequency, duration, and intensity of alcohol use, with chronic and abusive consumption posing greater risks. The complexity of alcohol’s impact is further compounded by individual variability and the interaction with other lifestyle factors such as diet, stress, and physical activity. Despite growing concern, research on alcohol’s effects remains inconclusive, with significant discrepancies across studies regarding the definition and reporting of alcohol consumption. These inconsistencies highlight the need for more rigorous, methodologically sound research to better understand how alcohol consumption influences metabolic and reproductive health. Ultimately, a clearer understanding is essential for developing targeted public health interventions, particularly in light of rising alcohol use, demographic changes, and the ongoing obesity crisis.

A surrogate FRAX model for Nepal.

FRAX models are frequently requested for countries with little or no data on the incidence of hip fractures. In such circumstances, the development of a surrogate FRAX model is recommended based on country-specific mortality data but using fracture data from a country, usually within the region, where fracture rates are considered to be representative of the index country. This report describes the development and characteristics of a surrogate FRAX model for Nepal. The FRAX model used the ethnic-specific incidence of hip fracture in the Indian community of Singapore, combined with the death risk for Nepal in 2015-2019. The number of hip fractures in 2015 and 2050 was estimated based on the United Nations' predicted changes in population demography. The surrogate model gave similar hip fracture probabilities to estimates from Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan but lower 10-year fracture probabilities for men and women at older ages compared to the model for Singapore, reflecting a higher mortality risk in Nepal compared with Singapore. There were very close correlations in fracture probabilities between the Nepalese and the Singapore models (r > 0.995) so that the use of the Nepalese model had little impact on the rank order of risk, i.e. a person at the xth percentile of risk with one model will be at the xth percentile of risk with the other. It was estimated that 6897 hip fractures arose in 2015 in individuals aged 50 years and older in Nepal, with a predicted 3-fold increase expected by 2050, when 23,409 hip fractures are expected nationally. The surrogate FRAX model for Nepal provides an opportunity to determine fracture probability within the Nepalese population and help guide decisions about treatment.

Isu-Isu Politik dalam Kampanye Calon Presiden RI terhadap Preferensi Pemilih di Nusa Tenggara Barat

This study examines the preferences of voters in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) in the context of the 2024 Indonesian presidential election and how various political issues influence their choices. Utilizing a quantitative approach and descriptive survey, data was collected from 2,672 respondents representing diverse educational and occupational backgrounds in the NTB region. The findings reveal various political issues affecting voter preferences, including economic, social, environmental, security, leadership, and other issues. The most dominant issue in NTB voters' preferences is Nationalist Religious Issues, with about 24% of respondents considering it the most important issue. Socialism and Cultural Issues also receive significant attention, reflecting concern for the preservation of local culture and social integration. Additionally, Education and Public Health Issues are high priorities for NTB voters, indicating the need for access to quality education and good healthcare services. This research provides a deeper understanding of the political dynamics in NTB and the factors influencing voter decisions. The results can guide presidential candidates and political parties in designing campaign platforms relevant to the needs of this region. Furthermore, this study can help enhance political participation, advance important issues, and strengthen political representation at the local level. Recommendations are given for further studies on the role of religion in NTB politics, evaluation of issue fulfillment in public policy, analysis of demographic changes, and studies on political participation in NTB. This research is expected to provide valuable contributions to understanding regional politics in Indonesia and voter preferences that could influence the outcome of the 2024 presidential election in NTB.

The Setting-Up Measure to Support Generational Renewal in Agriculture: The Italian Experience

Since the 1970s, the issue of ageing farmers and generational renewal in agriculture has consistently attracted the attention of policymakers. However, despite successive reforms of the European Union Structural Funds, efforts to encourage young people to enter the agricultural sector remain largely focused on agricultural and rural policies, specifically on the First Settlement scheme. This paper highlights the role of the European Union’s rural development policy in supporting and encouraging generational renewal in agriculture. A qualitative analysis of the Italian case examining some of the demographic changes that have occurred within the agricultural system at the regional level has been conducted. The analysis is based on the comparison of policy implementations in different programming periods. Using data from the General Censuses of Agriculture and the Italian Agricultural Payments Agency—supplemented by the Annual Implementation Reports of the Italian Rural Development Programmes—the research traces the evolution of initiatives supporting young farmers. The main findings reveal a notable decline in the number of young people in the primary sector over the last decade, together with an ageing population of agricultural farmers. Measures to support young farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy appear to be ineffective in countering the ageing trend. There is scope for integrated policies to enhance the attractiveness and profitability of rural areas and to ensure long-term sustainable generational renewal in the agricultural sector.

Temporal dynamics of unmet long-term care needs in China: an age period cohort analysis

Abstract Rapid demographic changes and heavy reliance on informal care pose significant challenges to meeting long-term care (LTC) needs in China. Understanding changes in unmet LTC needs across different times and places can inform future LTC system planning and care resource allocation, identifying emerging care needs and services gaps in different regions. Drawing on data from 6,030 urban and 5,070 rural residents in the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey 2005–2017/18, this study investigates variations in unmet LTC needs across different age groups, periods and birth cohorts among Chinese older adults and their place-based rural–urban differences. We applied the age-period-cohort interaction model to disentangle the three temporal processes, and found that, overall, rural older adults experienced higher risk of unmet LTC needs and had larger variation in age effects, yet the age, period and cohort effects on unmet needs among rural older people differed from their urban counterparts. Although ‘younger’ older adults (aged below 85) had fewer care needs than older adults, they had a higher risk of experiencing unmet needs. The risk of having unmet needs did not change significantly over the 12 years, though unmet LTC needs were more pronounced among more-recent cohorts than previous generations, especially in urban areas. The findings contribute to the social gerontology debate regarding changing patterns in unmet LTC needs, and provide crucial policy insights, underscoring the necessity of targeted interventions to address ‘younger’ older adults’ care needs and increased investmed in the formal LTC system to tackle the escalating care gap.

Assessing Chile's national expansion of urban and artificial coverages between 2000 and 2022

Abstract. This study investigates the national expansion of urban and artificial coverages in Chile between 2000 and 2022 using remote sensing techniques. The research employed Google Earth Engine and Landsat imagery to classify land use and land cover (LULC) changes. By analyzing annual cloud-free composites and employing random forest algorithms, the study produced detailed LULC maps, focusing on the 'infrastructure' class, which includes urban areas and major roads. Results indicate a significant 33% increase in infrastructure coverage, growing from approximately 380,000 hectares in 2000 to 510,000 hectares in 2022. This expansion was predominantly observed in seven regions, which accounted for 68% of the total infrastructure area and 83% of the national increase. A notable correlation (0.6) between urban growth and population growth was identified, suggesting that urban expansion is largely driven by demographic changes. However, regions with higher population growth exhibited more vertical urban development. The study highlights the complex interplay between urbanization, population dynamics, and regional planning, emphasizing the need for sustainable development strategies to manage urban growth effectively. Validation efforts showed high classification accuracies, with infrastructure class accuracies averaging 82% for the User and 87% for the Producer across the evaluated years.

Motherhood in the Making: Key Determinants of Parenthood Motivation in Young Adult Women

Background: Demographic changes are often prone to purely social perspectives, while individual differences are overlooked. This research examines the role of attachment and emotional intelligence in childbearing motivation. Methods: In total, 234 female students participated in an online survey, including sociodemographic data, adult attachment, emotional competencies, and parenting-related variables. Results: Statistical analyses revealed that the students express positive and negative childbearing motivation almost equally and moderately. They were both linked to religiosity and emotional management. We further explore the differences in relationship status and address the role of religious beliefs. The demographic measures identified as most important include healthcare availability for both mother and child, subsidizing housing loans or rent, and encouraging fathers to become more actively involved in the care of infants. Conclusion: These emerging trends deserve further investigation and social incentives.

Is a rising cesarean delivery rate explained by late birth trend? A decomposition analysis of health insurance claims data (2013-2022) from South Korea.

To analyze the factors influencing the increase in the cesarean delivery (CD) rate in South Korea and test the hypothesis on advanced maternal age driving the trend. The present study is a population-based retrospective observational study utilizing administrative data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We analyzed a total 3 416 517 births from 2013 to 2022 covered by the national health insurance. The CD rate and contribution of demographic variables to changes in CD rates were calculated using Das Gupta's decomposition method. The CD rate increased from 37.8% in 2013 to 61.6% in 2022. The decomposition analysis revealed that changes in maternal age structure contributed only 8.7% to the increase in the CD rate. When parity was added to maternal age, the explained proportion increased to 17.8%. When other factors were added to the model, such as multiple births, residential area, and income level, it did not contribute significantly to the increase in the CD rates, accounting for 19.0%, 18.6%, and 18.0%, respectively. According to our analysis, less than one-fifth of the increase in CD rate was explained by the change in maternal age. The rising CD rate in Korea should not be considered an unavoidable consequence of demographic change. Much more diverse factors, including increased risk of medical lawsuits, changes in childbirth culture, and other health system determinants, may be driving the trend.

Dynamic transnational inter-ecosystem framework for smart and inclusive age-friendly environments: The Transnational Local-Sphere Model

The demographic change calls for the creation of age-friendly environments that result from the collaboration between several fields. Previous initiatives fostering age-friendly environments often had less-than-desired impact or reach due to financial and bureaucratic constraints. Additionally, territory-specific standards and needs hinder the replication of good practices. Based on a mixed-methods approach combining a narrative review of knowledge models followed by expert consultation, we propose a framework to maximise the sustainability of Smart Healthy Age-friendly Environment (SHAFE) initiatives by connecting local ecosystems and stakeholders, including underrepresented entities, and thus promote sustainable business models, to ensure the replicability, scalability, and sustainability – the Transnational Local-sphere Model. This social innovation framework goes beyond previously established helix frameworks, by incorporating fresh ideas on democratic policy making, transnational spanning, and inter-ecosystem collaboration, as well as emphasising the role of institutions, stakeholders, networks, and principles. The collaboration and competition between the different stakeholders ensure a value-driven, cost-effective, and inclusive intervention, maximising impact. The Transnational Local-Sphere Model can also be applied in the development of other social innovation initiatives that benefit a usercentred multi-stakeholder inter-ecosystem approach.

School administrators’ and teachers’ pedagogical responses to demographic change based on their meaning-making of multicultural students in South Korea

ABSTRACT Public schools in South Korea have faced unprecedented changes because of demographic shifts, particularly the influx and growth of three types of ‘multicultural students’: children of married migrant women, foreign workers, and North Korean refugees. In this situation, teachers are challenged to implement educational policies and a standardised national curriculum for those unfamiliar with the Korean language, culture, and education system. This study, conducted between Fall 2022 and Summer 2023, involved interviews with 16 elementary and secondary school administrators and teachers from urban and rural regions. It revealed that teachers’ perceptions and biases about multicultural students significantly influenced their educational practices, resulting from interpretive processes and problematic framing. The data indicate that teachers’ meaning-making and pedagogical responses to multicultural students are insufficient for systematically addressing the structural inequalities and social injustices faced by these students. Ultimately, these teachers’ responses and practices fell short of providing equitable education that South Korea’s multicultural education policies aim for. The study concluded that comprehensive teacher training in cultural competence and bias awareness is essential for bridging the gap between policy and practice. It recommends the development of reflective practices, continuous professional development, and the creation of supportive school environments to enhance multicultural education’s effectiveness.

Emerging trends in cognitive impairment and dementia among older populations in Asia: A systematic review.

Dementia and cognitive impairment rates in Asia have significant policy implications. Contrary to the existing literature, which primarily focused on the Western region, in this study, we provide novel insights into previously unexplored geographical contexts. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in Asia. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, we searched six bibliographic databases: Web of Science, Medline, Science Direct, Ovid, Google Scholar, and PubMed. We targeted cross-sectional studies on dementia and cognitive impairment in Asia, published between 2019-23. Our extensive search yielded 2593 original articles, of which 39 met eligibility criteria. This selection unveiled a significant rise in dementia and cognitive impairment prevalence in Asia, aligning now with trends observed in Western countries - a novel finding that challenges previous assumptions about regional prevalence disparities. The studies predominantly conducted in East Asia (n = 29), along with limited research from Southeast (n = 2), South (n = 7), and Central Asia (n = 1), underscore the geographical gaps in current research. This shift in prevalence patterns is potentially linked to demographic changes, urbanisation, environmental factors, ethnic diversity, and neuroimaging advancements. Identifying modifiable risk factors associated with dementia in these regions presents new avenues for prevention and intervention strategies. Current dementia research in Asia is concentrated in East Asia, with limited data from Southeast, South, and Central Asia. Comprehensive studies across all parts of Asia are crucial to establishing robust data collection methods and identifying modifiable risk factors. This can help manage and mitigate the growing burden of dementia in these societies.

The One Health concept: a holistic approach to protect human and environmental health - how does it work in Total Worker Health strategy.

Human well-being is affected by demographic, geographical, environmental and economic changes in the modern world. Advanced and rapid technological advances have left countries without an adequate structural framework. The One Health concept, rooted in the interconnectedness of human health, animal health and the environment, addresses today's global health challenges. These include non-communicable and zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, ecosystem degradation and food security. All of these require a holistic approach, bringing together multiple disciplines. Therefore, an exploration of the One Health concept was undertaken, which focuses on the collaboration of professionals from different disciplines, as well as looking at human health in a multi-faceted way. The aim of the study was to explore how the One Health concept could contribute to effective pandemic prevention and a broader holistic understanding of human health. It was also relevant to identify its application in occupational medicine. The narrative review was adopted as the research method of choice. The authors emphasise the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, education and international partnerships in preparing for future health emergencies. Human health should not only be assessed from a medical perspective, but also from an environmental point of view. International cooperation is therefore essential to prepare a unified response to threats and challenges. The system of teaching medical personnel needs to be improved, returning to anthropological assumptions. With zoonotic diseases systematically emerging, health professionals should be as prepared as possible for emergencies. Qualified teams are needed to assess risks and hazards in the workplace in a multidisciplinary manner. An in-depth knowledge of zoonotic pathogen transmission is crucial. The impact of environmental degradation on the immune system must be taken into account. A holistic view of workers' health is needed, taking into account ecological, environmental, social and economic factors. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2024;75(5).

Is blanqueamiento (whitening) an emerging concept in urban transformation?

The concept of “whitening” has emerged as a tool to describe processes of invisibilizing local social practices in favor of affluent, often white, foreign populations within Mexico City's central urban transformation. This article critically examines the relevance of whitening as an analytical framework compared to more established, albeit sometimes ambiguous, terms such as “gentrification”. The discussion focuses on three key areas: the impoverishment of urban vocabulary; the adaptation of foreign concepts in Latin America; and the limits of whitening as a concept. This comment argues that while whitening captures significant racial dynamics in urban transformations, its conceptual development is still nascent, making it insufficient to encompass the broader socioeconomic dimensions covered by gentrification. Unlike gentrification, which has been adapted to Latin American contexts to capture diverse forms of displacement and exclusion, whitening has yet to undergo such adaptation and remains limited in its geographic and temporal application. Additionally, the article discusses the risk of fragmenting urban discourse through the creation of neologisms that overlap with more established concepts. Whitening may offer valuable insights into racial aspects of urban change, but its application remains restricted compared to the more encompassing and versatile framework of gentrification, which addresses economic, demographic, and cultural changes in a comprehensive manner.

Sequential multiple mediating effect of loneliness and family health on physical frailty and willingness to age at home in older adults: a national survey in China

BackgroundWith the rapid ageing of the global population, the number of older adults with physical frailty has been gradually increasing, making ageing at home a key strategy for coping with this demographic change. The opinions of older adults regarding their willingness to age at home deserve to be considered respectfully. As a result, this study aimed to investigate willingness to age at home and any associated underlying mechanisms involving physical frailty among older Chinese adults.MethodsThis study was a national cross-sectional survey. Stratified random and quota sampling were used before and after the individual level respectively. Willingness to age at home was compared between older adults with different characteristics using the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test. A Spearman rank test was conducted to explore the correlations among physical frailty, loneliness, family health, and willingness to age at home. The path hypothesis that loneliness and family health influence the relationship between physical frailty and willingness to age at home among older adults was further tested through sequential multiple mediation analysis.ResultsA total of 3,837 older adults were included in this study. They returned a median score of 78 in terms of willingness to age at home. Physical frailty (β = − 0.044, P < 0.01) and loneliness (β = − 0.070, P < 0.001) were negatively associated, and family health (β = 0.275, P < 0.001) was positively associated with a willingness to age at home among older Chinese adults. Loneliness and family health played sequential multiple mediating role (β = − 0.018, Boot SE = 0.002, 95% CI = [–0.022, − 0.014]) between physical frailty and willingness to age at home.ConclusionsReducing physical frailty in older adults, reducing their sense of loneliness, and enhancing their family health is essential, as it can increase their levels of confidence with regard to ageing at home.

Demographic changes, technology growth, and retirement policy reform: Implications for U.S. housing dynamics

As the population aging process continues, concerns about how this situation impacts the housing market and social security rise. To address this question, this paper presents a developed and calibrated general equilibrium life-cycle model incorporating two production sectors to analyze the impacts of demographic structure changes and retirement policy reforms on housing price fluctuations and household choices. The model calibrated to the U.S. macroeconomic data between 1968 and 2018 suggests that in an economy with unlimited land supply, the housing supply curve exhibits perfect elasticity, rendering demographic changes insignificant in housing price fluctuations, while technological advancements lead to decreased prices. A 1% growth in productivity in both sectors results in a 2.6% decrease in house prices. Furthermore, a 1% decrease in population and a 5-year early retirement led to significant reductions of 25% and 30% in individual social security payments and 9% and 18% in interest rates, respectively. This suggests that during a recession caused by demographic structural changes, households become more conservative and prioritize precautionary saving strategies, increasing savings and investing more in housing assets. Consistent with empirical findings, during an economic boom, a decline in the capital-output ratio and the real housing price suggests a decrease in savings and housing asset investment. The rise in consumption drives the capital demand of the non-housing sector to increase, stimulating business expansion and labor inflow.

Preface to the special issue on “Demographic change and wellbeing in Japan and Asian economies”

Preface to the special issue on “Demographic change and wellbeing in Japan and Asian economies”

Real Estate Inflation and Housing Finance in India : Mapping the Correlation between Raising Property Prices &amp; Increasing Home Loans among Indian Cities

Focusing specifically on India — a country that has recently faced recessions partially due to housing bubbles, like many other nations around the world — this research explores in depth how development of real estate linked financing sector have fuelled mortgage led asset price inflation across different cities (both metros &amp; Tier II/III) over decades. Drawing upon a variety of market statistics, policy and economic indicators, the research identifies strong relationships between housing loan availability — by way of loosening mortgage regulations — and property price growth. The study shows that metropolitan cities have witnessed growth in housing loans at a CAGR of 10-12% over last decade (2010–2020) resulting into similar annual price appreciation for real estate standing between 010-15%. Tier II and III cities alternatively, exhibited slower but more stable growth trends in property prices of 6-8% driven by government push &amp; infrastructure developments. The research emphasizes how this relationship has been altered by a number of variables, including as urbanization, demographic changes, government housing programs, and regulatory reforms like RERA and GST. The results imply that although housing financing has played a significant part in promoting the expansion of the real estate market, the influence varies greatly depending on local market dynamics, infrastructural development, and the state of the local economy.

Fairness, Trust, and Well-Being Among Young Adults: Evidence from 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS).

Background. As China has undergone tremendous socioeconomic and demographic changes during and after the pandemic, it is crucial to enhance youth well-being and facilitate their transition into the workforce. This study aims to explore the multi-dimensional features of well-being and examine their relationships with fairness and trust. Methods. Using the nationally representative data from the 2021 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), this study analyzes the well-being of 1726 young adults aged 18 to 34 years old living in 19 provinces in China. Results. The research findings generate five latent factors of well-being and reveal the multi-faceted nature of subjective well-being, including physical and mental health challenges, positive outlook, sense of purpose, personal growth, and self-fulfillment. Physical and mental health is the cornerstone for well-being and happiness. Young people with poor physical and mental health conditions are less likely to perceive that society is fair or that people are trustworthy. Additionally, a positive outlook and future orientation are strongly associated with high fairness and/or trust. Discussion and Conclusions. By investigating the differential domains of well-being, this study contributes to the literature with the new conceptualization of well-being sub-measures and their application to youth. Furthermore, this study identifies that well-being is not only an individual-level characteristic but also a group-level attribute that can contribute to fairness and trust at the societal level. As China continues to expand its infrastructure on education, health, and technology, it is expected that sustainable economic growth and development should boost young people's career development and promote their upward mobility.

A Comprehensive Review of Breast Cancer: Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Gender Disparities

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, with significant variations in prevalence, diagnosis, and outcomes across different regions and genders. This comprehensive review examines the global and regional epidemiology of breast cancer, highlighting the increasing incidence driven by demographic changes, lifestyle factors, and urbanization. It explores the impact of gender on breast cancer, noting unique challenges faced by men and women, including diagnostic delays and treatment disparities. The review delves into the risk factors associated with breast cancer, such as genetic mutations, hormonal influences, and lifestyle choices, and discusses advancements in diagnostic technologies, including mammography, ultrasound, MRI, and emerging tools like liquid biopsies and AI-based imaging. Treatment options are analyzed, focusing on personalized medicine, targeted therapies, and the challenges of therapy resistance and recurrence. Preventive strategies, including lifestyle modifications, prophylactic surgeries, and chemoprevention, are reviewed alongside public health initiatives aimed at increasing awareness and screening. The psychosocial impact of breast cancer on patients and their families is also addressed, emphasizing the need for supportive care, patient advocacy, and integrative approaches to improve quality of life. The review concludes with recommendations for future research, policy initiatives, and strategies to address gender disparities and enhance breast cancer care globally. Keywords: Breast Cancer, Epidemiology, Gender Disparities, Risk Factors, Diagnosis