This article presents household-level socioeconomic data on food-water-energy nexus consumption collected through a survey conducted during the first quarter of 2020 in the urban areas of the Pune Metropolitan Region, India. The dataset includes 1872 observations from households residing in both formal and informal settlements. Data were collected via door-to-door interviews in the local language using a comprehensive, structured questionnaire administered through a computer-assisted web interviewing mobile application developed by the World Bank. Quality control was ensured through digital data capture, daily monitoring during fieldwork, and post-collection data validation. The dataset comprises 606 variables, including consumption data for water, energy, and food, alongside socioeconomic factors such as household composition, income, housing conditions, migration history, and household-level strategies to cope with intermittent water supply. The dataset can be used for econometric modeling of household demand, parameterization of multi-agent models, comparative analyses across regions, and empirical studies examining household challenges related to water, energy, and food security.

Lassa fever remains a major public health threat in West Africa, yet the household and behavioural determinants of prior Lassa virus exposure are not sufficiently understood. This study examined environmental, behavioural, and demographic factors associated with Lassa virus IgG seropositivity among residents of selected states in North-Central Nigeria. Analysis was carried out on baseline data from 958 participants enrolled in the first phase of an ongoing longitudinal cohort study, which collected information on rodent exposure, house integrity, food safety practices, and household composition. Formative indices were constructed and standardised, and logistic regression models with 1000-iteration bootstrap estimation were used to identify predictors of IgG positivity. Seroprevalence of Lassa virus IgG was 19%, while IgM positivity was 1.15%. Rodent activity around and within homes was widespread, with more than 86% of participants reporting rodent presence. Logistic regression analysis showed that rodent exposure (standardised coefficient 0.20, 95% CI 0.02–0.43) and participant age (0.20, 95% CI 0.05–0.35) were significant predictors of IgG seropositivity. Household size demonstrated a strong inverse association (−0.41, 95% CI −0.68 to −0.20). House integrity and food safety formative indices exhibited weak and non-significant effects. Model performance was acceptable (AUC 0.63; Brier score 0.148), and variance inflation factor values confirmed negligible multicollinearity. These findings emphasised the continuing role of rodent exposure and demographic factors in Lassa virus transmission risk. This implies that there is a need to strengthen community-level rodent control and household-based prevention strategies, which can help to reduce exposure.

The growth of mobile health has underscored the critical importance of equitable internet access in promoting healthy aging. Among older adults, particularly those in digitally underserved populations, access to mobile data is often limited due to affordability and technological barriers, leading to a phenomenon known as "data deprivation." This form of digital inequality limits the older adults' ability to participate in social, recreational, and community-based activities, which are protective against isolation and decline in later life. In South Korea, where unlimited smartphone data plans have become increasingly accessible, a unique opportunity exists to examine the real-world association of improved data accessibility on older adults' social lives and digital engagement. This study aimed to examine whether switching to unlimited smartphone data plans enhances social participation among older adults in South Korea. It also explored whether this relationship differs by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, such as age, gender, region, household composition, and income level. The study focused on offline domains of social participation, including hobby gatherings, religious services, volunteering, and routine activities such as shopping. Data were drawn from the Korea Media Panel Survey (2016-2022), a nationally representative longitudinal dataset. The final sample included 5021 individuals. Social participation was measured using a self-reported 8-item scale (8-64 points) covering outdoor activities, volunteering, and more. A difference-in-differences approach was used to assess the association of switching from limited to unlimited smartphone data plans on social activity scores. Subgroup analyses examined heterogeneity by gender, household composition, income, and region. Overall, among individuals aged 60 years and older, switching to an unlimited data plan was not associated with a statistically significant change in social activity scores. However, within this group, those aged 70 years and older showed a more notable-though not statistically significant-improvement (differential of 1.54, 95% CI -0.41 to 3.50). In contrast, older men living alone experienced a significant differential improvement of 6.44 (95% CI 3.39 to 9.50) points, compared with those who remained on limited plans. Although the overall association of unlimited data plans was limited, certain vulnerable subgroups-particularly older men living alone-experienced meaningful gains. These findings suggest that improving mobile data accessibility may enhance social engagement among digitally underserved older adults. Compared with more complex or resource-intensive interventions, expanding access to unlimited smartphone data plans may offer a relatively simple and scalable strategy to support healthy aging and reduce social isolation.

ABSTRACT The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is the latest in a series of initiatives aimed at modernizing small‐scale farming to address food insecurity and poverty, yet AGRA has fallen short of its goals. This study explores whether these shortcomings might stem from flawed assumptions in AGRA's theory of change—assumptions long embedded in top‐down agricultural modernization efforts. We situate AGRA within broader debates on the agrarian question, especially the Chayanov–Lenin debate, and draw historical parallels with United States agricultural industrialization, the Green Revolution, and Soviet collectivization, as well as Tanzania's villagization program. Tanzania is an instructive case, having undergone both collectivist and market‐based modernization. Using Chayanov's theory of peasant household decision‐making, we analyze panel survey data from the Tanzania National Panel Survey (TNPS), part of the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study—Integrated Surveys on Agriculture (LSMS‐ISA) program, to examine how household demographic factors relate to labor and land use decisions. Our findings show that household composition is significantly associated with agricultural labor allocation choices and land use. We also address Chayanov's gender blind spot, finding that men and women plot managers and men‐ and women‐headed households often pursue different labor allocation and land use strategies. These results suggest that AGRA's model may make questionable assumptions about the decision‐making of small‐scale farmers. We conclude by considering the implications of this modernization logic and argue that a pragmatic approach to agricultural development, one rooted in the actual priorities and preferences of small‐scale farmers, offers an alternative.

Families in high-density urban settings often experience elevated conflict, yet the role of nearby outdoor spaces in shaping these dynamics is underexplored. We examined whether frequent visits to approachable outdoor spaces—defined as within a 5-minute walk and perceived safe from common threats—buffer the link between household crowding and family conflict. Survey data were collected from 142 married women with children living in higher-income apartments in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, India. Participants reported household density, perceived proximity and safety of urban outdoor spaces, perceived frequency of visits, and perceived family conflict, along with household composition and psychological distress. Zero-order correlations showed perceived approachability, but not frequency of visits, was associated with conflict. Moderated regression analyses indicated more frequent visits only to highly approachable (versus less approachable) outdoor spaces were linked with lower conflict. Findings underscore that usability—particularly proximity and safety—matters when evaluating outdoor environments as supports for families in dense cities.

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the family demographics in the state of West Virginia (2000–2025). The study draws upon various sources of data to examine trends, challenges, and implications related to family structures, marital status, household composition, and socioeconomic factors. The unique characteristics of West Virginia’s family demographics are explored within the context of broader national and regional trends. The findings highlight the state’s evolving family landscape, shedding light on both the strengths and challenges faced by families in this region.

Transport affordability defined as the share of household income devoted to transport expenditure is a key dimension of urban equity and social inclusion, particularly in contexts characterised by spatial inequality and income disparities. This study examines provincial variation in public transport affordability across South Africa using a hierarchical Bayesian regression framework applied to province–year data from 2015 to 2022 (n = 72). Affordability is operationalised as a transport cost burden, with higher values indicating a greater proportion of household income spent on transport, and is modelled as a function of household income, trip frequency, household population, and total provincial employment, with province-level random intercepts capturing unobserved regional heterogeneity. The results indicate that household income is negatively associated with transport cost burden, suggesting that provinces with higher average income devote a smaller share of income to transport and therefore experience better affordability. In contrast, household population and aggregate provincial employment are positively associated with transport cost burden, reflecting higher overall mobility and commuting demands in larger and more economically active provinces rather than improved affordability. Trip frequency shows no statistically meaningful association with affordability once household composition and income capacity are accounted for. After accounting for observed characteristics, between-province variation is limited, indicating that affordability dynamics are broadly similar across provinces over the study period. Methodologically, the hierarchical Bayesian framework enables partial pooling across provinces and supports probabilistic inference through credible intervals, thereby improving the stability of estimates in a small-sample multilevel context. While the analysis is associational rather than causal, the findings provide policy-relevant evidence for monitoring transport affordability, including benchmarking the prevalence of affordability burdens relative to the commonly used 10% threshold.

Purpose: This study examined sleep problems in Flemish (Dutch speaking part of Belgium) school-aged children (4–12 years) placed in family foster care. Research design: Foster parents ( n = 197) completed an online questionnaire consisting of: (1) characteristics of foster child, foster family and foster placement, (2) behavioural problems of foster child, and (3) sleep problems of foster child using the Dutch version of the ‘Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ)’. Higher scores indicate more sleep problems. Results: Based on a cut-off value used in an American sample, 71.1% of the foster children in our sample screened positive for clinically significant sleep problems. In general, foster children scored significantly higher than children from different community samples and significantly lower than children from different sleep-disordered samples. Multiple regression analysis showed that sleep problems were significantly associated with internalizing problem behaviour, externalizing problem behaviour, and household composition. The likelihood of experiencing/perceiving sleep problems in foster children was higher in case of more internalizing or externalizing problem behaviour and in case of single parenthood. Conclusion: These results highlight the importance of screening, assessment and intervention in foster children with sleep problems by health professionals.

This paper presents and discusses the results of a national survey on adults’ media and robot literacy in Finland with a focus on robot literacy. The study addresses three pressing global challenges: population aging, increasing robotization, and a research gap concerning the skills and competencies needed for interacting with robots. The survey operationalized the authors’ robot literacy framework, which focuses on physical robots and defines robot literacy across seven skill dimensions: 1. Awareness of robots; 2. Interaction with robots; 3. Understanding and evaluating the information robots provide; 4. Understanding the data security and privacy of robots; 5. Programming of robots; 6. Ethical reflection; and 7. Providing and receiving social support on robotics-related questions. The survey addressed the following research questions: What is the scope of adults’ robot literacy? How are gender, age, education, household composition, and use of the internet connected to adults’ robot literacy? The study marks the first attempt to map robot literacy across a national population. It shows that despite recent progress in AI and future forecasts of advances in the development of social and humanoid robots, awareness of robots is still limited among Finland’s adult population and does not originate mainly in firsthand experiences with robots. Furthermore, the respondents exhibited uncertainty in their ethical reflection, in knowledge about interaction with robots, and in their understanding and evaluation of the information provided by robots. They also reported being entirely unprepared—or possessing low or very low skills—in providing social support related to robotics. For the field of computing education, the study offers new insights into the relatively limited robot literacy of adults, particularly older adults. A key practical implication is that adult educators—computing educators included—as well as researchers, instructional designers, the media, robotic service providers, robot developers, and other stakeholders must actively promote robot literacy among the adult population.

Trauma remains a leading cause of preventable childhood mortality and disability worldwide, with over 95% of pediatric injury-related deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Social drivers of health (SDH) – including socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, and community infrastructure – strongly influence these outcomes but remain underexplored in sub-Saharan Africa. To examine the association between selected SDH factors and morbidity and mortality among injured children presenting to a tertiary referral hospital in Northern Tanzania. This secondary analysis utilized data from a prospective pediatric injury registry at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) from November 2020 to January 2024. Children under 18 years presenting with acute injuries were enrolled. SDH variables included residence type, payment method, insurance status, household composition, food security, and transfer status. Outcomes were in-hospital mortality and morbidity, defined using the Glasgow Outcome Scale – Extended Peds (GOS-E Peds). Multivariable logistic regression and modified Poisson regression models were used to identify independent predictors of mortality and morbidity. A total of 877 children were included (median age 7 years, 63% males). Mortality rate was 7.0%, while 38.8% experienced poor morbidity outcomes (GOS-E Peds ≥3). In multivariable analysis, lack of health insurance (adjusted OR=2.4, 95%CI 1.1—5.3) and transfer by ambulance to KCMC (adjusted OR=3.8, 95%CI 1.5—9.4) were associated with higher odds of mortality. Older age (adjusted PR = 1.05, 95%CI 1.02—1.09) predicted greater morbidity, while non-ambulance transfer was protective (adjusted PR = 0.74, 95%CI 0.56—0.97). Food insecurity remained an independent correlate of poor outcomes. Social and economic inequities, particularly inter-facility ambulance transfer, lower MUAC, and food security, were independently associated with adverse pediatric injury outcomes. Food insecurity and lack of insurance remained cross-cutting vulnerabilities. Integrating SDH surveillance into trauma care systems and addressing access barriers may reduce injury-related morbidity and mortality in LMICs.

Trauma remains a leading cause of preventable childhood mortality and disability worldwide, with over 95% of pediatric injury-related deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Social drivers of health (SDH) - including socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, and community infrastructure - strongly influence these outcomes but remain underexplored in sub-Saharan Africa. To examine the association between selected SDH factors and morbidity and mortality among injured children presenting to a tertiary referral hospital in Northern Tanzania. This secondary analysis utilized data from a prospective pediatric injury registry at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center (KCMC) from November 2020 to January 2024. Children under 18 years presenting with acute injuries were enrolled. SDH variables included residence type, payment method, insurance status, household composition, food security, and transfer status. Outcomes were in-hospital mortality and morbidity, defined using the Glasgow Outcome Scale - Extended Peds (GOS-E Peds). Multivariable logistic regression and modified Poisson regression models were used to identify independent predictors of mortality and morbidity. A total of 877 children were included (median age 7 years, 63% males). Mortality rate was 7.0%, while 38.8% experienced poor morbidity outcomes (GOS-E Peds ≥3). In multivariable analysis, lack of health insurance (adjusted OR=2.4, 95%CI 1.1-5.3) and transfer by ambulance to KCMC (adjusted OR=3.8, 95%CI 1.5-9.4) were associated with higher odds of mortality. Older age (adjusted PR = 1.05, 95%CI 1.02-1.09) predicted greater morbidity, while non-ambulance transfer was protective (adjusted PR = 0.74, 95%CI 0.56-0.97). Food insecurity remained an independent correlate of poor outcomes. Social and economic inequities, particularly inter-facility ambulance transfer, lower MUAC, and food security, were independently associated with adverse pediatric injury outcomes. Food insecurity and lack of insurance remained cross-cutting vulnerabilities. Integrating SDH surveillance into trauma care systems and addressing access barriers may reduce injury-related morbidity and mortality in LMICs.

Prior investigations of the impact of social determinants of health (SDH) on people with primary central nervous system cancers (PCNSC) have considered limited SDH-factors and pathologies. This study examines how the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) influences disparities in outcome for people with PCNSC across the United States (US). This population-based retrospective cohort study assessed adults with PCNSC between 1975-2017 from the Surveillance-Epidemiology-End Results database, categorized using the Central Brain-Tumor-Registry of the US (CBTRUS) classifications. SDH-vulnerability/SVI scores were assigned to patients' county-of-residence based on 15 SDH-factors of socioeconomic status (SES), proportions using a minority language (ML), household composition (HC), and infrastructure/housing-transportation (HT) characteristics, plus an overall composite of these four themes. Survival and logistic regressions were obtained for survival period and multimodal treatment receipt across all PCNSC-patients based on their SVI-scores/SDH-vulnerability. Across 116,373 PCNSC-patients (64,841 [55.7%] male; 92,476 [79.5%] non-Hispanic white race-ethnicity), increasing overall SDH-vulnerability is associated with relative mean survival period decreases between 22.12%-45.81% across 8/8 CBTRUS-classes, with the largest-magnitude effects among HC, HT, and SES-vulnerabilities. There are decreased odds of external beam radiation for 4/8 CBTRUS-classes (lowest-embryonal: OR, 0.87; 95%CI, 0.80-0.96) and surgery for 3/8 CBTRUS classes (lowest-oligodendroglial: OR 0.96; 95%CI 0.95-0.97). The largest-magnitude effects are among those using ML, followed by impact of HC and HT characteristics. SDH-vulnerability associates with worse survival and treatment effects for PCNSC patients. Some specific SDH more strongly influence disparity associations, so resources could be focused more on reducing these disparity drivers.

ABSTRACT Background: In January 2023, British Columbia (BC) implemented a three-year pilot decriminalizing possession of up to 2.5 grams of certain illegal drugs, including opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA, the first policy of its kind in Canada. This initiative has faced scrutiny, culminating in a May 2024 amendment banning possession and use in public spaces. Objectives: To examine public opinion on BC’s decriminalization policy by assessing perceptions of the 2024 policy amendment, potential changes in support between 2024 and 2025, and demographic factors associated with support for repealing the policy. Methods: We analyzed two waves of online, non-probability surveys of BC adults (male 48%, non-male 52%): Wave 1 (March 26–April 1, 2024; N = 1,202) and Wave 2 (February 12–18, 2025; N = 1,200). Changes in values between both waves were tested with Rao-Scott chi-square analyses, and demographic predictors of support for the policy’s repeal were assessed using multinomial logistic regression. Results: Support for decriminalization weakened between 2024 and 2025, as opposition rose from 41% to 47% (p = .0427). Fewer respondents believed decriminalization reduced criminalization (50% vs. 39%; p < .0001), reduced policing costs (37% vs. 25%; p < .0001), or improved treatment access (34% vs. 27%; p = .0229). Disagreement that decriminalization reduced stigma increased from 45% to 55% (p < .0001), while perceptions of community safety declined from 28% vs. 22% (p = .0019). Overall, 61% supported the amendment, and 46% supported repeal, with support varying by age, gender, region, education, and household composition. Conclusion: Public opinion in BC reflects growing skepticism toward decriminalization, strong support for public use restrictions, and significant backing for the policy’s repeal. Without visible improvements in overdose prevention, service access, and public communication, the policy’s long-term viability remains uncertain. Sustained investments in harm reduction and strategic public messaging are essential.

ABSTRACT Household projections, traditionally focused on household headship, now require new methods to better capture changes in household structure due to the rise of single‐person households and the diversification of household types and sizes. Accurate projections for detailed household categories are essential for economic, policy, and environmental purposes but are challenging due to the low composition rates in many household types. This study proposes a new household projection method for Korea that addresses these challenges. We introduce a headship‐based household composition ratio and define marginal, conditional, and joint household composition ratios using a two‐way contingency table of household size and type. A sequential projection method combined with the cumulative rolling N+point modified exponential model is proposed to project these ratios. Projection results demonstrate that the new sequential cumulative rolling N+point modified exponential model can accurately and stably project household composition ratios, including categories with very small values, in both the short and long term.

TThis study analyses socioeconomic patterns through income disparities, offering a comprehensive overview of three critical factors: household income, size and composition, and consumption and expenditures. Apparently, the decline in average consumer spending due to job losses and reduced income levels is further exacerbated by the increased cost of living which has intensified financial pressures causing people to struggle financially. Considering the persistent income gap, B40 households are vulnerable to financial instability arising from low incomes, economic uncertainty, and a lack of resources that significantly limit their ability to afford basic needs and save for emergencies. Subsequently, the provision of essentials for household dependents is largely determined by household income. Nevertheless, household size and composition with the presence of multiple dependents substantially influence resource allocation and expenditure priorities. Following a comprehensive database search, this study employs Scopus AI to perform an extensive analysis of the academic publications, applying methods such as descriptions and concept maps. The findings shed light on the disparities between higher-income and lower-income households. Addressing income inequality and allocating household resources efficiently could enhance the financial resilience of B40 households, promoting stronger economic stability and progress towards sustainable development goals.

Forests face significant pressures from human activities, mainly through deforestation and land-use changes driven by agricultural expansion. This study aims to conduct a literature review to identify and analyze the primary factors that have driven farmers to engage in deforestation and agricultural expansion over the past 25 years. The review followed the methodology proposed by Arksey and O’Malley, with an initial broad search followed by article selection and exclusion. The analysis of the results revealed interacting factors with varying intensities by region, extending to different levels. At the demographic level, factors such as gender, age, household composition, and education play a significant role. At the social level, factors are mainly related to migration, population growth, and the phenomenon of “imitation”. At the economic level, poverty, unemployment, the need for supplementary income, and the growing demand for cash crops are key drivers of agricultural expansion in forests. At the political level, state licensing of deforestation, either as part of poverty reduction strategies or to meet market demand, and the inability to impose sanctions, reinforce deforestation for agricultural cultivation. Finally, at the environmental level, factors such as climate change and soil fertility decline constitute another critical area of pressure on forest ecosystems.

This paper examines household compositions of older men and women in mid-Victorian England and Wales, using Integrated Census Microdata. First, in five counties between 1851 and 1911, the proportion living in nuclear households with offspring increased by 1911, while the share of those living in complex households declined. Second, a national sample for 1891 shows that complex household formation occurred in textile and mining regions, reasserting its regional importance. Conversely, older women in agricultural eastern and southern England (especially London), where specialized industry was lacking, were more likely to live without offspring or kin.

This study investigates the effects of household demographics on household economic well-being in Kabwata Constituency, Lusaka. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from 84 households through structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses. The findings indicate that household structure significantly affects expenditure patterns, household composition influences saving behavior, and income levels strongly determine overall well-being. The study concludes that dependency ratio and income stability are critical determinants of economic resilience. Recommendations include promoting financial literacy, supporting income diversification, and incorporating demographic indicators into social-protection policies. These findings contribute to evidence-based policymaking for sustainable urban development in Zambia.

India is experiencing a major demographic and socio-economic transformation that is marked by significant changes in population structure, fertility behaviour, life expectancy, urbanization as well as household consumption patterns. The decreasing birth rates and increasing life expectancy are an indication that India is well progressing into the later phases of its demographic transition leading to age structure, household size, and dependency ratio adjustments. Concurrently, there are changes in labour markets, job opportunities and living conditions especially urbanisation and internal migration that is changing the nature of urban centres. The implications of these demographic changes are far reaching in terms of income distribution, participation of labour and household expenditure behaviour. It uses recent secondary data on population growth, age and gender structure, literacy levels, fertility and mortality pattern, household composition, and household consumption expenditure to provide a comprehensive overview of the changing demographic profile in India as well as the relationship between the changing demographic profile and the household economic behaviour. As the analysis shows, although income is the greatest factor that determines household consumption, demographic information include household size, age composition, and place of residence is critical in determining the expenditure patterns among the food, health, and non-food items. The fall in fertility and the reduction in the size of household are linked to the per capita consumption shift and the growing life expectancy has contributed to the slow increase in health-related expenditure. The results also show that there are continuing and, in other instances, increasing rural urban consumption differentials. The consumption level and the diversity of expenditure baskets are typically high in urban households, and low in rural households, though a significant portion of their expenditure remains devoted to food. These trends highlight the necessity of policy response, which is strategically and regionally focused, and which can mitigate income inequality, enhance the strength of employment opportunities, health and educational services accessibility, and inclusive growth of consumption within the framework of the current demographic shift in India.

ABSTRACT We present a practical measure of the sensitivity of the income poverty headcount ratio (at-risk-of-poverty rate) to OECD-type equivalence scales, along with a method to assess the robustness of poverty comparisons across time and/or space. Using 2004–2021 EU-SILC microdata for 31 European countries, we estimate how small changes in adult and child weights affect poverty rates, country rankings, and individual non/poor classifications. We find that the sensitivity of the income poverty headcount to equivalence-scale weights is substantial and varies across countries. Sensitivity depends on both household structure and the income distribution, often in nonlinear ways, so the same change in weights can increase the poverty rate in one context and reduce it in another. While many country rankings are broadly stable across plausible weight combinations, equivalence adjustments can reclassify individuals and shift ranks, particularly in countries with certain types of household compositions or higher inequality. These patterns highlight that relying on a single equivalence scale may easily misrepresent poverty, and that robustness checks and complementary non-monetary indicators are important for accurate poverty assessment.