Higher Household Income Research Articles

Classifying climate vulnerability and inequalities in India, Mexico, and Nigeria: a latent class analysis approach

The climate crisis exacerbates social, economic, and health disparities. This study employs innovative methods to identify distinct groups affected by recent climate events. A mobile phone-based survey was conducted in April 2022 with individuals residing in multiple climate-affected states across three countries: India (n = 1020), Mexico (n = 1020), and Nigeria (n = 1021). Latent class analysis and classification and regression tree analysis were used to identify the groups most exposed to climate events, the effects and responses taken, and then to identify the characteristics associated with group membership. Effects included housing damage or lost work, while responses included actions such as borrowing money or dropping out of school. Findings revealed four distinct groups: Group 1 reported low exposure, no effects, or responses (49% of respondents in India, 43% in Mexico, and 27% in Nigeria); Group 2 experienced multiple hazards with moderate effects and some responses; Group 3 was characterized by drought exposure with more effects and responses taken; Group 4 was affected by heavy flooding and rainfall with varied effects. Notably, India had the largest proportion of respondents in Group 3 (17%), in Mexico over a quarter (29%) were in group 4, while over half of Nigerian respondents were in Group 2 (52%). Characteristics associated with membership in each group varied by country. Overall, men from rural areas with lower incomes and reliant on agriculture experienced the highest levels of exposure and vulnerability, while urban women from higher-income households were the least affected. This study underscores the importance of considering the intersectionality of risk and vulnerability when formulating policies and programs to address the impacts of climate change. Results emphasize the need for multi-sectoral policies that target the needs of different groups, to reduce inequalities and tailor to the context-specific needs of the most vulnerable people and households.

Maternal relative income, bargaining power, and children's education expenditure

This study presents a household bargaining model to theoretically examine the logical mechanisms by which maternal relative income influences children's education expenditure. The theoretical findings demonstrate that an increase in maternal relative income can enhance children's investment in education through both the income effect and bargaining effect. To validate the theoretical model, empirical tests are conducted using panel data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) covering the period from 2010 to 2018. The findings demonstrate a significant and robust positive influence of maternal relative income on children's education expenditure, even after conducting rigorous robustness tests and addressing potential endogeneity issues. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the increase in maternal relative income particularly benefits boys, younger children, and those with fewer siblings. Moreover, households residing in northern China and high-income households observe a more substantial rise in their children's education expenditure as a result of an increase in maternal relative income. Mechanism tests indicate that the impact of maternal relative income on children's education expenditure primarily stems from both the income effect and bargaining effect.

The utilization and contribution of timber and non-timber forest products to livelihoods under a changing climate in the Limpopo River Basin

Forest products contribute immensely to rural livelihoods and household income. However, their contribution to climate change adaptation in semi-arid areas, and the limited ecosystem management capacities of rural communities are poorly examined. We examined the influence and challenges of cash income derived from forest products on livelihoods and climate change adaptation using data from 130 household surveys, 20 participatory mapping exercises, several in-depth interviews, and field observations in the Limpopo Basin of Botswana. Households derived livelihoods and/or income from Mopane caterpillars, firewood, timber, palm plants, wild fruits, thatch, medicinal plants, natural dyes, natural pastures, and game meat. Mopane caterpillars, firewood, and other forest products featured in the top ten sources of household income and contributed weighted monthly income of BWP 1,647.27 ± 1,519.04, BWP 1,110.02 ± 1,980.05, and BWP 780.56 ± 1,360.32, respectively (US$1 ≈ BWP13.4). A higher proportion of households (62.3%) were in the low-income category, earning income below BWP5,000/month. Income derived from Mopane caterpillars and firewood made a significant difference between low-income and high-income households (p = 0.006). Generally, higher proportions of high-income households adopted climate change adaptation measures than proportions in the low-income category, indicating the influence of cash income on household adaptations. However, significant differences were only observed in cropland expansion, purchasing of supplementary livestock feed, drilling boreholes/wells, and use of drip irrigation (p < 0.05). We discuss the potential threats, such as the unsustainable harvesting of forest products, caused by an increasing need for cash incomes and the interconnectedness with distant urban markets. Such threats add to the institutional and biophysical challenges, further limiting prospects for effective adaptation in the Limpopo Basin of Botswana. We call on the government to capacitate and strengthen traditional authorities—as custodians of local resources—in the regulation, management, and conservation of forest products to make them more sustainable adaptation options.

Wildfires exacerbate inequalities in indoor pollution exposure

Wildfires lead to dramatic increases in fine particulate matter pollution concentrations. Based on the premise that higher-income households purchase more defensive investments to reduce the degree to which outdoor pollution infiltrates indoors, in this study, we investigate how income contributes to outdoor–indoor pollution infiltration rates during wildfire events. Using crowd-sourced data from the PurpleAir Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring Network and econometric models that explore variations in monitor readings over time, we find increases in outdoor pollution lead to significant increases in indoor pollution, but disproportionately so in lower-income areas. The results highlight a new inequality in pollution exposure: not only are outdoor pollution levels higher for lower-income individuals, but indoor pollution levels are higher even for similar outdoor pollution levels.

Insights Into Sociodemographic Influences on Type 2 Diabetes Care and Opportunities for Digital Health Promotion in Port Harcourt, Nigeria: Quantitative Study.

A significant percentage of the Nigerian population has type 2 diabetes (T2D), and a notable portion of these patients also live with comorbidities. Despite its increasing prevalence in Nigeria due to factors such as poor eating and exercise habits, there are insufficient reliable data on its incidence in major cities such as Port Harcourt, as well as on the influence of sociodemographic factors on current self-care and collaborative T2D care approaches using technology. This, coupled with a significant lack of context-specific digital health interventions for T2D care, is our major motivation for the study. This study aims to (1) explore the sociodemographic profile of people with T2D and understand how it directly influences their care; (2) generate an accurate understanding of collaborative care practices, with a focus on nuances in the contextual provision of T2D care; and (3) identify opportunities for improving the adoption of digital health technologies based on the current understanding of technology use and T2D care. We designed questionnaires aligned with the study's objectives to obtain quantitative data, using both WhatsApp (Meta Platforms, Inc) and in-person interactions. A social media campaign aimed at reaching a hard-to-reach audience facilitated questionnaire delivery via WhatsApp, also allowing us to explore its feasibility as a data collection tool. In parallel, we distributed surveys in person. We collected 110 responses in total: 83 (75.5%) from in-person distributions and 27 (24.5%) from the WhatsApp approach. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive and inferential statistical methods on SPSS Premium (version 29; IBM Corp) and JASP (version 0.16.4; University of Amsterdam) software. This dual approach ensured comprehensive data collection and analysis for our study. Results were categorized into 3 groups to address our research objectives. We found that men with T2D were significantly older (mean 61 y), had higher household incomes, and generally held higher academic degrees compared to women (P=.03). No statistically significant relationship was found between gender and the frequency of hospital visits (P=.60) or pharmacy visits (P=.48), and cultural differences did not influence disease incidence. Regarding management approaches, 75.5% (83/110) relied on prescribed medications; 60% (66/110) on dietary modifications; and 35.5% (39/110) and 20% (22/110) on traditional medicines and spirituality, respectively. Most participants (82/110, 74.5%) were unfamiliar with diabetes care technologies, and 89.2% (98/110) of those using technology were only familiar with glucometers. Finally, participants preferred seeking health information in person (96/110, 87.3%) over digital means. By identifying the influence of sociodemographic factors on diabetes care and health or information seeking behaviors, we were able to identify context-specific opportunities for enhancing the adoption of digital health technologies.

SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES IN HOSPITALIZATION AND OUTCOMES OF EOSINOPHILIC COLITIS: A FIVE-YEAR NATIONAL ANALYSIS

Abstract BACKGROUND Eosinophilic colitis (EoC) is a rare gastrointestinal inflammation of the colon due to an altered hypersensitivity reaction characterized by eosinophilic infiltration into the colonic wall. Patients usually present with abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. METHODS We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to conduct a retrospective study of hospitalized adult patients with eosinophilic colitis using the validated ICD-10 diagnosis codes between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020. RESULTS We identified 4353 cases of eosinophilic colitis using the NIS database. There were 748, 776, 889, 934, and 1,006 eosinophilic colitis cases diagnosed in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. Males were more likely to be hospitalized due to eosinophilic colitis than females (51.8% vs. 48.2%). Moreover, there was a significantly higher prevalence of eosinophilic colitis among the white population, with 81.7% in Whites, 8.1% in Blacks, 6.3% in Hispanics, and 1.3% in Asians. 26.5% of those patients had Medicare, 15.7% had Medicaid, and 50.6% had private/HMO insurance. About 20.7% of patients had a median household income of $45,999 or less, 23.6% had $46,000-58,999, and 55.6% had $59,000 or more. Based on hospital location, 30.3% of the cases were in the South, 27.5% in the Midwest, 23.4% in the West, and 18.8% in the Northeast. The majority of patients admitted for eosinophilic colitis were recorded in urban teaching hospitals (77.8%) compared to 17.6% in urban nonteaching hospitals and 4.6% in rural areas. Only 16.5% of the patients with eosinophilic colitis had a Charlson Comorbidity Index of 3 or higher. CONCLUSION Based on the national inpatient sample over 5 years, males and whites are more likely to be hospitalized with eosinophilic. The report suggests that eosinophilic colitis is common among patients with high median household income and has a better prognosis.

How Does Fertility Policy Relaxation Affect Household Financial Asset Allocation? Evidence from the Universal Two-Child Policy in China

Both fertility policy and the healthy development of financial markets are important topics for sustainable economic and social development. By using the difference-in-difference (DID) model, this paper investigates how the universal two-child policy (UTCP) in China aiming to improve fertility affects household financial asset allocation, based on the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data from 2010 to 2018. The results show that the implementation of UTCP has a significant negative impact on household risk asset holdings. Specifically, the policy decreases the probability of households participating in the financial market by 3.1 percentage points, reduces the total value of risk assets held by 50.2%, and lowers the proportion of risk asset investment by 1.76 percentage points. Mechanism analysis suggests that the implementation of the policy has a significantly negative impact on labor market outcomes for women, which decreases household income and increases the time and effort spent on caring for children. As a result, the financial resources available for household financial asset investment are diminished, and the time for activities such as information gathering and financial asset transactions is squeezed out, ultimately leading to a decrease in household risk asset investment. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that households with self-employed wives (higher income instability), households without a co-resident status with grandparents (more time spent on childcare), and high-income households (stronger willingness to have more children) are more affected by the policy. This study provides new supplements on how fertility policies affect the allocation of household financial assets and proposes constructive suggestions on how to establish a comprehensive system of childcare welfare and alleviate the economic pressure of family childcare in developing countries.

Community-centric distributed energy resources for energy justice and decarbonization in dense urban regions

Low-to-moderate income (LMI) households suffer from higher energy cost burden as they spend a larger portion of their income on electricity bills than higher-income households due to factors including limited access to renewable energy. Although distributed energy resources (DERs) can be owned by individuals, supposedly enabling energy justice, reality shows otherwise since it requires capital investment and property ownership. To mitigate these barriers, the paper proposes “Community Energy Cells” (CECs) which consists of a group of DERs and controllable loads in proximity, represented by a Cell Aggregator (CA) as a single controllable entity. CECs can operate independently during disruptions, deploy renewable energy to LMI households, and provide multiple value streams for their DERs, including the option to aggregate and sell in the wholesale energy market. A financial case study using National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) System Advisory Model (SAM) was performed focusing on select buildings in West Harlem, New York City, with approximate 2.5 MW solar and 15 MW storage potentials. Considering that their CA benefits from investment tax credits, and the costs including installation and electricity purchase, it has a net present value of over $2 M, an internal rate of return of 35 % after 25 years, and sufficient cash flow to cover debt service. These returns are sensitive to key values: battery price and committed capacity for incentive programs for DERs and loads. The realization of CEC has interdisciplinary challenges that the paper elaborates on. Nevertheless, CEC is indispensable for tackling climate change and resiliency while attaining energy justice.

Risk Factors of Premature Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in China: A Longitudinal Analysis of the China Health and Nutrition Survey Cohort.

The burden of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has increased rapidly in China. Using the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) data, we assessed the risk factors of premature ASCVD (age of diagnosis: <55 years for men and <65 years for women). Propensity score matching was used to reduce selection bias. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards analyses indicated that factors associated with increased risk of premature ASCVD included hypertension (adjusted hazard ratio [HRadj.] = 1.68), obesity (HRadj. = 1.64), and high carbohydrate intake (HRadj. = 1.46). Conversely, participants with medical insurance (HRadj. = 0.42), high urbanization index (HRadj. = 0.53), and high household income (HRadj. = 0.48) had lower risk of premature ASCVD. When comparing premature vs non-premature ASCVD participants, those who were obese (HRadj. = 2.08) or living in more urbanized areas had higher hazards of early onset (HRadj. = 2.29).

Economic powers encompass the largest cultural buildings: market, culture and equality in Stockholm, Sweden (1918–2023)

PurposeThe aim of this research is to understand the relationship between cultural buildings, economic powers and social justice and equality in architecture and how this relationship has evolved over the last hundred years. This research seeks to identify architectural and urban elements that enhance social justice and equality to inform architectural and urban designs and public policies.Design/methodology/approachThe author explores the relationship between case studies of museums, cultural centers and libraries, and economic powers between 1920 and 2020 in Stockholm, Sweden. The author conducts a historical analysis and combines it with statistical and geographically referenced information in a Geographic Information System, archival data and in situ observations of selected buildings in the city. The author leverages the median income of household data from Statistics Sweden, with the geographical location of main public buildings and the headquarters of main companies operating in Sweden.FindingsThis analysis presents a gradual commercialization of cultural buildings in terms of location, inner layout and management, and the parallel filtering and transforming of the role of users. The author assesses how these cultural buildings gradually conformed to a system in the city and engaged with the market from a more local and national level to global networks. Findings show a cluster of large public buildings in the center of Stockholm, the largest global companies' headquarters and high-income median households. Results show that large shares of the low-income population now live far away from these buildings and the increasing commercialization of cultural space and inequalities.Originality/valueThis research provides a novel image of urban inequalities in Stockholm focusing on cultural buildings and their relationship with economic powers over the last hundred years. Cultural buildings could be a tool to support equality and stronger democracy beyond their primary use. Public cultural buildings offer a compromise between generating revenue for the private sector while catering to the needs and interests of large numbers of people. Therefore, policymakers should consider emphasizing the construction of more engaging public cultural buildings in more distributed locations.

Individual-level socioeconomic status and cataract-induced visual disability among older adults in China: the overview and urban-rural difference.

To investigate the prevalence of cataract-induced visual disability and its association with individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) among older adults in China. Using the data of 354,743 older adults (60 years and older) from the Second China National Sample Survey on Disability in 2006. Cross-sectional study design was applied. The differences in visual disability prevalence of cataracts among sociodemographic subgroups were analyzed by the chi-square test, and the association between individual-level SES and cataract-induced visual disability was investigated by the multivariate logistic regression model. The weighted visual disability prevalence of cataracts was 4.84% in 2006. Older people with a higher household income per capita (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.81-0.85), higher education level (primary school vs. illiteracy: OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.76-0.83; ≥undergraduate college vs. illiteracy: OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.25-0.39), and occupation (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.50-0.56) were less likely to suffer from cataract-induced visual disability. Household income per capita and education level increase played a greater role in decreasing the risk of visual disability caused by cataracts in urban areas, while having occupation contributed more to reducing the risk of disability in rural areas. The gap in individual-level SES is closely related to the visual health inequities among older Chinese people and there are two distinct mechanisms in rural and urban areas. Strategies to promote collaborative healthcare development regionally, strengthen safeguards for disadvantaged groups, and increase public awareness of visual disability prevention are warranted.

CHANGES IN CONSUMPTION AND THE ROLE OF SELF-SUPPLY IN POULTRY MEAT IN POLAND IN THE YEARS 2005-2022

The aim of the article is to recognition changes in the consumption of raw poultry meat (chilled and frozen) in households according to socio-economic groups of the population, with particular attention to self-supply. In the long term, self-supply of poultry shows a tendency to decrease its level, and it varies among the studied groups, which is confirmed by the research. To achieve the purpose of the study, descriptive statistics methods (analysis of changes over time and structure analysis) and household budget surveys conducted by the Central Statistical Office were used. The study covers the years 2005, 2010 and 2015-2022. Natural consumption of poultry meat (including meat from hens, cockerel and chickens as well as other poultry) decreased in all household groups. The decreasing self-consumption of this meat was accompanied by a lower share of self-supply in its consumption. During the period under study, the largest amount of self-supplied poultry was consumed in farmers’ households, the least in self-employed households. In higher-income households, part of the self-supply of poultry is probably more often replaced by niche and processed products and meals eaten away from home, while in low-income households – by products from conventional poultry. Reducing the number of farms keeping poultry will not contribute to increasing self-supply.

Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on caregiver beliefs and experiences of routine childhood immunisation in Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to significant health services declines in South-East Asia including Indonesia, which experienced a decline in routine immunisation of children. This study investigated the influence of the pandemic on the beliefs and experiences of caregivers of children related to routine immunisation.This study involved a cross-sectional survey among 1399 caregivers of children aged 0–24 months in Central Java and West Nusa Tenggara provinces from March–April 2022. Data on beliefs and experiences of childhood immunizations were captured using core items from the WHO/UNICEF Behavioural and Social Drivers of Immunization (BeSD) survey. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with uptake of routine immunisations.While nearly all caregivers (95.7%) reported wanting their child to receive all recommended routine immunisations, only 40.3% of children aged 2–24 months were up-to-date with all vaccines for age. Factors associated with up-to-date included higher parental education (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI 1.02–3.05), higher household income (aOR: 1.54, 95% CI 1.09–2.18), and caregivers who found it moderately or very easy to get immunisations (aOR: 2.26/2.22, 95% CI 1.06–4.83/1.06–4.69).Recovery efforts should prioritise responding to the factors associated with immunisation status (e.g., perceived ease of access) and on families experiencing disadvantage (e.g., caregivers with lower education and household income) to ensure protections against future outbreaks that are responsive to the context-specific needs and priorities of districts and communities.

Factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree: evidence from Shandong Province, China.

In recent years, the pursuit of a master's degree has become a social phenomenon of wide concern. It is essential to understand why large number of students choose to pursue master's degree. This study aims to empirically analyze the factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree. Based on the extended theory of planned behavior, this study conducts a questionnaire survey of university students in Shandong Province, which has had the highest number of people taking the postgraduate entrance examination in China for several years. A total of 440 questionnaires were finally collected, including 417 valid questionnaires. And then ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was used to analyze the factors that influence the intent to pursue a master's degree. In general, the intent to pursue a master's degree is positively influenced by attitude (β = 0.161, p < 0.01) and subjective norms (β = 0.208, p < 0.01), and negatively influenced by risk perception (β = -0.084, p < 0.05). Compared with male students, female students' intent is more likely to be influenced by risk perception (β = -0.144, p < 0.05) and social factors (β = 0.140, p < 0.05). The intent of upperclass students tends to be positively influenced by perceived behavioral control (β = 0.125, p < 0.05), whereas the negative impact of risk perception (β = -0.219, p < 0.05) on the intent is significant for underclass students. The intent of students in rural areas are more sensitive to risk perception (β = -0.194, p < 0.01) than those of students in cities. In private universities, social factors (β = 0.445, p < 0.05) significantly affect the intent to pursue a master's degree. In ordinary public universities, the intent of students is more likely to be influenced by risk perception (β = -0.082, p < 0.05). The study is helpful to strengthen the understanding of the influencing factors of the intent to pursue a master's degree. In general, the intent to pursue a master's degree is mainly influenced by attitude, subjective norms and risk perception. Moreover, the influencing factors vary among different groups (e.g., female vs. male, rural areas vs. cities). Furthermore, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, risk perception, and social factors have greater impacts on the intent of students from low-income households than those from high-income households. This study can provide policy implications for universities to take targeted educational measures to encourage students to make a choice that suits their own development after graduation.

Feasibility of financing nature-based solutions for water security through water tariffs: Evidence from South Africa

Abstract In many countries, catchment restoration is underfunded. This study aims to address whether household water pricing could be used as a mechanism for securing funds for catchment restoration. The objectives were to determine households' willingness to pay (WTP) for their existing water use, investigate whether institutional trust and municipal satisfaction influenced WTP, and establish whether aggregate consumer surplus at the municipal scale could cover the costs needed to finance catchment restoration. Surveys were conducted on 502 households in three metropolitan municipalities in the City of Cape Town, eThekwini, and Nelson Mandela Bay. Contingent valuation revealed that average WTP for water was between 12 and 137% more and 32 and 73% more than what households currently pay for water per month in the City of Cape Town and eThekwini, respectively. Satisfaction with municipal service delivery positively influenced WTP, while institutional trust did not. The City of Cape Town, based on the aggregate WTP from the higher income categories, consumer surplus was 779 million South African Rand (ZAR)/year, more than double the estimated cost required to restore the catchment areas supplying water to the city over 30 years. In eThekwini, consumer surplus was equal to the amount needed over 30 years (250 million ZAR/year). These results demonstrate the significant potential to raise water tariffs for higher income households in metropolitan municipalities.

What set some young adults apart during the COVID-19 pandemic? Mental health trajectories, risk and protective factors in an Australian longitudinal study.

Evidence suggests that young adults (aged 18-34) were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but little is known about their longer-term mental health changes beyond the early pandemic period. This article investigates heterogeneous trajectories of mental health among Australian young adults across 2 years of the pandemic and identifies a broad range of associated risk and protective factors. Young adults (N = 653, Mage = 27.8 years) from the longitudinal Alone Together Study were surveyed biannually between July 2020 and June 2022. Measures assessed anxiety (7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale) and depression (9-item Patient Health Questionnaire) symptoms at Waves 1-4, as well as demographic, psychological, adversity and COVID-19 factors at baseline. Four and three distinct trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms, respectively, were identified through growth mixture modelling. The proportion of participants in each anxiety trajectory were Asymptomatic (45.9%), Mild Stable (17.9%), Moderate-Severe Stable (31.1%) and Initially Severe/Recovering (5.1%). For depression, Mild Stable (58.3%), Moderate-Severe Stable (30.5%) and Reactive/Recovering (11.2%). Baseline factors associated with severe symptom trajectories included a lifetime mental health disorder, pre-pandemic stressful events, identifying as LGBTQIA+ and/or female, and experiencing one or more infection-control measures. Higher household income was protective. Most young adults demonstrated stable trajectories of low or high symptoms during the pandemic, with smaller groups showing initially severe or reactive symptoms followed by marked improvements over time. Vulnerable subgroups (gender- or sexuality-diverse, those with prior adversity or pre-existing mental ill-health) may face ongoing impacts and require targeted psychosocial supports to assist their mental health recovery post-COVID-19 and in the event of future crises.

Down and out? the role of household income in students’ friendship formation in school-classes

Research suggests that coming from a lower economic background compromises social integration at school, yet the precise mechanisms underlying this link remain unknown. Therefore, this study examined the effect of household income on friendship network dynamics among classmates in a large sample of Swedish youths (n = 4787 from 235 classes, m age = 14.65, 51% girls, and 33% immigrant background), using multilevel longitudinal social network analysis. Over time, students from poorer households were less often selected as a friend by classmates and they less often initiated or maintained friendship ties than students from higher income households. Furthermore, different conceptualizations of income relative to classmates did not impact friendship formation tendencies. The findings indicate that theories of relative income do not extend understanding of students’ friendship formation beyond processes related to absolute income. In addition, this study suggests that the social integration of students from low-income households could be boosted by both promoting their agency in forming friendships and preventing exclusion by classmates.

Analysing access to parks and other green spaces on walking, biking, and driving networks through a socioeconomic lens

ABSTRACT Green spaces are important elements of cities due to their benefits to residents’ physical health, mental health and development, and social connections. Residents are more likely to experience green space benefits when they use them frequently and usage increases when amenities are accessible. Because lower-income households often have less reliable access to automobiles, examining access solely on the road network is inadequate. Do households across the socioeconomic spectrum have access to green space on pedestrian and bicycle networks? After estimating residential locations (origins) from U.S. Census data and park and other green space locations (destinations) from the City of Albuquerque data, we connect the two using service area network analyses in a geographic information system (GIS). Findings suggest that overall green space access is a concern since less than 50% of Albuquerque residents have access to a green space within 400 m, indicating levels below those recommended by the World Health Organization. Park accessibility is relatively equally distributed for low-, middle-, and high-income households across both pedestrian and road networks. Access to other green space is a source of possible inequity with high-income households having more than five times the access to non-park green spaces than low-income households. The bike network presents another source of possible inequity as 39% of high-income households have access to the bike network versus only 30% of low-income households and an expansion of the bike network is a primary recommendation for increasing access in an equitable fashion.

Determinants of unhealthy living by gender, age group, and chronic health conditions across districts in Korea using the 2010-2017 Community Health Surveys.

We investigated the prevalence and determinants of unhealthy living by gender, age, and comorbidities across Korean districts. For 806,246 men and 923,260 women from 245 districts who participated in the 2010-2017 Korean Community Health Surveys, risk scores were calculated based on obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and high-risk alcohol consumption, each scored from 0 (lowest risk) to 2 (highest risk). A risk score ≥4 was defined as indicating unhealthy living, and weighted proportions were calculated for each district. Using multivariate regression, an ecological model including community socioeconomic, interpersonal, and neighborhood factors was examined by gender, age, and comorbidities. The mean age-standardized rate of unhealthy living was 24.05% for men and 4.91% for women (coefficients of variation, 13.94% and 29.51%, respectively). Individuals with chronic diseases more frequently exhibited unhealthy lifestyles. Unhealthy lifestyles were associated with educational attainment (β-coefficients: men, -0.21; women, -0.15), high household income (β=0.08 and 0.03, respectively), pub density (β=0.52 and 0.22, respectively), and fast-food outlet density (β=2.81 and 1.63, respectively). Negative associations were observed with manual labor, social activity participation, and hospital bed density. Unhealthy living was positively associated with living alone among women and with being unemployed among middle-aged men. Access to parks was negatively associated with unhealthy living among young men and women. The ecological model explained 32% of regional variation in men and 41% in women. Improving the neighborhood built and socioeconomic environment may reduce regional disparities in lifestyle behaviors; however, the impacts may vary according to socio-demographic traits and comorbidities.

Housing inadequacy and income in Brazil: water supply and sewage in metropolitan areas

ABSTRACT This article analyses how households in Brazil, in urban areas of metropolitan regions, with distinct income ranges, can or cannot access adequate housing services, especially water supply and sanitation. In order to conduct the analysis, the concept of household inadequacy was developed. Besides descriptive analyses of the data, tests of association were conducted between household income and the existence of inadequacies. The results indicate that, besides being concentrated among low-income households, frequent and significant inadequacies are also found in high-income households. This aspect reduces the degree of association between household income and the inadequacies analysed.