Household Composition Research Articles

Prevalence of online food delivery platforms, meal kit delivery, and online grocery use in five countries: an analysis of survey data from the 2022 International Food Policy Study.

Online food retail use is rapidly increasing in popularity, and offers user-friendly apps, and new food delivery models, including online food delivery platforms, online grocery retailers, and online meal kit delivery. We aimed to: (1) quantify the prevalence of online food retail platform use by adults across Australia, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States, and to (2) assess the associations between sociodemographic and behavioural factors and use of online food retail platforms. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with adults as part of the 2022 International Food Policy Survey (n = 19,877). We described the frequency of use and number of meals ordered using different online food retail and delivery platforms. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess associations between the use of online food retail and delivery platforms, and sociodemographic and behavioural factors (including age, sex, household composition, BMI, income adequacy, ethnicity, cooking skills, nutrition knowledge, and frequency of food preparation). Online ordering was more prevalent in Mexico (72%), and in the United States (62%) in comparison with Australia, Canada, or the United Kingdom (45-56%). Overall, across all countries, 58% of participants used online retail and delivery platforms, most commonly online orders from restaurants (36% of participants), online supermarkets (28%), online meal kits (14%), online only grocery stores (11%), and online convenience stores (11%). The odds of using online restaurants was significantly higher for men (OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.14-1.33) and participants aged 18-29 (compared to those 60 years or older) (OR: 6.10, 95% CI: 5.34-7.00). Participants aged 18-29 also had the highest odds of using online convenience stores (OR: 7.51, 95% CI: 5.71-9.88). Participants living with primary school aged children had higher odds of using online supermarkets compared to those without children (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 2.22-2.94). A substantial proportion of people are buying food online. Efforts to improve population diets need to ensure that online food retail platforms support good health and nutrition.

Fuzzy Non-Payment Risk Management Rooted in Optimized Household Consumption Units

Traditionally, business risk management models have not taken into consideration household composition for the purposes of credit granting or project financing in order to manage the risk of default. In this research, an improvement in the risk management model was obtained by introducing household composition as a new exogenous variable. With the application of generalized reduced gradient nonlinear optimization modeling, improved consumption units are determined according to the different types of household size and the age of their members. Estimated household economies of scale show a consistent pattern even in the year 2020, corresponding with the COVID-19 outbreak. Thus, an adjusted estimation of the household equivalized disposable income is obtained. Based on this more accurate equivalized income estimation, acceptable debt levels can be determined. The estimation of probabilities of default allows the household risk of default to be managed. In this way, a novel model is proposed by incorporating household composition into credit risk evaluation using fuzzy clustering and optimization techniques. Companies can assess the expected loss of a credit exposure through a model that can help them in the process of making evidence-informed decisions.

Technological Unemployment in the British Industrial Revolution: The Destruction of Hand-Spinning

Abstract This article analyses the elimination of hand-spinning in Britain during the Industrial Revolution and shows that it produced large-scale technological unemployment. First, it uses new empirical evidence and sources to estimate spinning employment before the innovations of the 1760s and 1770s. The estimates show that spinning employed 8 per cent of the population by about 1770. Next, the article systematically analyses the course, extent and locations of technological unemployment produced by mechanization using more than 200 detailed qualitative sources. Evidence from more than 2,000 observations by contemporary social commentators, county agricultural surveys and the 1834 Poor Law Commission’s Rural and Town Queries shows the breadth and duration of unemployment following mechanization. The destruction of hand-spinning began to impact women and households in the 1780s, and the effects persisted until at least the mid 1830s. This technological shock likely had an unequal effect on family incomes that resulted from variation in household composition and local labour market conditions. The findings demonstrate that unemployment must be incorporated into analysis of the impacts of industrialization on living standards and they highlight the potential long-run costs of job-replacing technology.

Changes in household composition and their effects on the academic achievement of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV in rural Zambia

ABSTRACT The African kinship system facilitates the movement of children and adults between households to mitigate hardship, yet few studies have documented membership changes in rural African households over time and addressed the effects of these household dynamics on the developmental outcomes of children. We used a household inventory instrument to document the number of changes in household membership experienced by 93 households in rural Zambia between two timepoints (∼2 years apart). We then used multilevel models to evaluate the effects of migration and household change on the academic learning of the children affected by HIV residing in these households, positing migration between households as a proxy for household connectivity and a potential protective factor for children. Our inventoried households experienced on average 4.12 changes in membership over the measured period. About half of these changes were due to children under 10 moving between relatives’ households. No effects of these migration-related variables were found on children’s academic progress at the family level. Household connectivity, as operationalized by the movement of individuals between households, may be typical to these children’s home life and were not shown to be detrimental to their academic learning.

Predictive Value of Social Determinants of Health on 90-Day Readmission and Health Utilization Following ACDF: A Comparative Analysis of XGBoost, Random Forest, Elastic-Net, SVR, and Deep Learning.

Study DesignRetrospective cohort.ObjectiveDespite numerous studies highlighting patient comorbidities and surgical factors in postoperative success, the role of social determinants of health (SDH) in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) outcomes remains unexplored. This study evaluates the predictive impact of SDH on 90-day readmission and health utilization (HU) in ACDF patients using machine learning (ML).MethodsWe analyzed 3127 ACDF patients (2003-2023) from a multisite academic center, incorporating over 35 clinical and demographic variables. SDH characteristics were assessed using the Social Vulnerability Index. Primary outcomes included 90-day readmission and postoperative HU. ML models were developed and validated by the area under the curve (AUC) for readmission and mean absolute error (MAE) for HU. Feature importance analysis identified key predictors.ResultsBalanced Random Forest (AUC = 0.75) best predicted 90-day readmission, with length of stay, Elixhauser score, and Medicare status as top predictors. Among SDH factors, minority status & language, household composition & disability, socioeconomic status, and housing type & transportation were influential. Support Vector Regression (MAE = 1.96) best predicted HU, with perioperative duration, socioeconomic status, and minority status & language as key predictors.ConclusionsFindings highlight SDH's role in ACDF outcomes, suggesting the value of stratifying for interventions such as targeted resource allocation, language-concordant care, and tailored follow-up. While reliance on a single healthcare system and proxy SDH measures are limitations, this is the first study to apply ML to assess SDH in ACDF patients. Further validation with direct patient-reported SDH data is needed to refine predictive models.

Examining the social distributions in neighbourhood black carbon and ultrafine particles in Montreal and Toronto, Canada.

Examining the social distributions in neighbourhood black carbon and ultrafine particles in Montreal and Toronto, Canada.

Associations between state tobacco control measures and cigarette purchases by U.S. households, 2015-2021.

Associations between state tobacco control measures and cigarette purchases by U.S. households, 2015-2021.

Correlation between mild cognitive impairment and flourishing among Chinese residents: a cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between mild cognitive impairment and flourishing among Chinese residents. A total of 527 community residents aged ≥18 years were recruited from December 2023 to April 2024. Based on the results of the Ascertain Dementia 8-Item Informant Questionnaire (AD8), participants were classified into a healthy group (n = 356) and a mild cognitive impairment (MCI) group (n = 171). General demographic data, including age, gender, height, weight, place of residence, education level, marital status, household composition, personal income, occupation, and the flourishing scale (FS) were collected for statistical analysis. The analysis was performed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions software. Chi-square test was used to compare differences between the groups, while Kendall's correlation analysis and multivariate logistic regression were applied to assess the relationship between flourishing and MCI. Comparisons between the healthy and MCI groups showed that the FS scores in the healthy group were significantly higher than those in the MCI group (p < 0.01). Kendall's correlation analysis revealed that the score of AD8 was negatively correlated with FS (r = -0.237, p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis indicated that age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.451, 95% confidence interval (CI; 1.107-1.902), p = 0.007], place of residence [OR = 5.523, 95% CI (3.572-8.539), p < 0.001], and FS [OR = 0.421, 95%CI (0.311-0.569), p < 0.001] were correlated with MCI. Flourishing levels are negatively correlated with MCI, and higher levels of flourishing associated with a lower risk of MCI. This suggests that flourishing may serve as a protective factor against cognitive decline. Additionally, age and place of residence are identified as risk factors for MCI.

Individual and Spatial Determinants of Mortality During the Covid‐19 Pandemic: The Case of Belgium in 2020

ABSTRACTThe Covid‐19 pandemic marked the year 2020. In Belgium, it led to a doubling in deaths, mainly grouped into two periods. This article aims to compare the relative importance of predictors and individual and spatial determinants of mortality during these two waves to an equivalent non‐pandemic period and to identify whether and to what extent the pandemic has altered the sociodemographic patterns of conventional mortality. The analyses relate to all‐cause mortality during the two waves of Covid‐19 and their equivalent in 2019. They are based on matching individual and exhaustive data from the Belgian National Register with tax and population census data. A multi‐level approach combining individual and spatial determinants was adopted. Mortality patterns during and outside the pandemic are very similar. As in 2019, age, sex, and household composition significantly determine the individual risk of dying, with a higher risk of death among the oldest people, men, and residents of collective households. However, their risk of death increases during the Covid period, especially in the 65–79 age group. Spatial information is no more significant in 2020 than in 2019. However, a higher risk of death is observed when the local excess mortality index or the communal proportions of single‐person households or disadvantaged people increase. While the Covid pandemic did not fundamentally alter conventional mortality patterns, it did amplify some of the pre‐existing differences in mortality.

Evaluation of caries experience among schoolchildren in Central African Republic

The Central African Republic, one of the world’s most fragile nations with a critically human development index, is facing escalating rates of noncommunicable diseases, including oral diseases. This study aims to comprehensively assess the oral health status of schoolchildren in Bangui, the capital city. A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted during November–December 2023 on 556 schoolchildren aged 5 to 13 years old, (41.5% female and 58.5% male). Data were collected under standardized conditions (using dental mirrors, CPI probes, and headlamps) and oral health status was assessed using WHO dmft/DMFT indices. A questionnaire captured socio-economic indicators, including sex, age, school, district, household composition, parental occupation, oral hygiene, and dietary habits. Logistic regression in STATA18® identified determinants of caries experience (dmft/DMFT > 0). Schoolchildren in Bangui displayed a moderate prevalence of dental caries with a mean DMFT of 0.58 ± 1.3 and dmft of 1.92 ± 2.7. Females had lower odds of caries in deciduous teeth (OR 0.47 95%CI 0.33, 0.67). Diverse breakfast diets reduced the risk (OR 0.58 95%CI 0.42, 0.82), while snack consumption increased it (OR 1.41 95%CI 1.10, 1.80). Females had a higher prevalence of caries in permanent teeth (OR 1.47 95%CI 0.88, 2.25), and poor brushing correlated with increased caries prevalence (OR 1.33 95%CI 0.97, 1.77). The study underscores the association between caries experience and modifiable behaviours, emphasizing the vulnerability of specific populations, such as males with high snack consumption. Targeted interventions addressing these behaviours could yield significant long-term benefits. The absence of dental treatment history raises concerns about the consequences of untreated dental diseases in children.

Advancing Sustainable Development through Open Science: A Case Study of Contributions to UN SDGs

In recent years, the open science movement has gained momentum as a catalyst for addressing global challenges and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This presentation highlights the significant contributions to open science, specifically through the publication of five impactful open-access articles with Elsevier between 2020 and 2022. The research articles referred to in this study look at critical issues at the intersection of environmental sustainability, public health, and circular economy. The presentations here are directly linked to various UN SDGs, illustrating how open science can play a very important role in achieving a sustainable and equitable future. The outlined articles cover a range of topics, including the integration of data to address climate change challenges on the Guyana coast (SDG 14 and SDG 17), the correlation between household waste generation, waste composition, and COVID-19 exposure in Guyana and Nigeria (SDG 3, SDG 8, SDG 11, SDG 12, and SDG 17), and the importance of linking national policies to beneficiaries through geospatial and statistical focus in waste and sanitation planning (SDG 12 and SDG 17), among others. These referred articles explore the broader implications of open science in driving societal progress. This presentation emphasises the collaborative and transparent nature of open-access research, showcasing how academic research is contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable world. It is expected that this write-up underscores the need for continued support and advocacy for open-access initiatives to ensure a more transparent and collaborative future in research.

Modeling the Stability of the Housing and Construction Complex Based on Organizational and Economic Interaction of Entities

The article addresses the structure of the socio-economic system of the housing and construction complex (HCC), focusing on the organizational and economic interaction of its participants against the backdrop of entropy-driven macroeconomic influences. The study aims to identify management methods, from a system-information approach, that allow the system to reach a new level of sustainable disequilibrium with the environment while maintaining homeostasis. Since the primary factor in the housing construction sector is the availability of built housing, the first research task was a detailed examination of household housing provision in Russia as a whole and in the Irkutsk region, based on census data from 2002, 2010, and 2020. As a result, the idea of the “best” structure of the housing stock in terms of the number of rooms corresponding to the composition of households was proposed. Achieving the “optimal” housing provision for the population requires timely organizational and economic changes, one of which is the introduction of project financing. To reach a new level of sustainable equilibrium in the HCC system, coordinated actions among all stakeholders are necessary to minimize the gap between the actual and the “optimal” housing stock structure. The second research objective was to find a solution to the multi-criteria problem of aligning the interests of economic entities in housing construction. A genetic algorithm in MATLAB was used for this purpose. Acceptable options for all participants were selected from a set of Pareto-optimal alternatives based on the preferences of the decision-maker. The state was imperatively assigned this role, with the optimization criterion being the minimization of the gap between the “optimal” and actual housing provision for households of various sizes. The modeling results indicated that effective collaboration towards a common goal is possible; however, the cost factor is inevitably passed on to consumers. The study’s findings will be of interest to students and graduate students studying construction economics, as well as to banking professionals, regional authorities, and specialists in the field of housing construction.

Sexual orientation differences in mental health service use and unmet mental health care needs: a cross-sectional population-based study of young adults.

This study aims to examine sexual orientation differences in mental health services use and unmet mental health care needs, and to explore associated sociodemographic factors in a populational-based sample of Swedish young adults (aged 18-34). Data from the Pathways to Longitudinally Understanding Stress (PLUS) study were used (2019, N = 2,126, participation rate of 37.8%). We performed logistic regressions to model mental health services use and unmet mental health service needs, followed by a subgroup analysis among those with perceived need for mental health services. We also examined if associations between sociodemographic factors (gender, age, educational level, income, employment status, household composition, urbanicity and country of birth) and these outcomes varied by sexual orientation. Around one-third (35.0%) of sexual minority individuals had used mental health services the previous year, versus 20.2% of heterosexuals (OR = 1.52, 95%CI = 1.17-1.96, p = 0.002). Unmet needs were more likely among sexual minority individuals (17.6%) than heterosexuals (11.8%, OR = 1.47, 95%CI = 1.09-2.00, p = 0.013), with no significant sexual orientation differences among participants perceiving a need for mental health services. Among those with perceived need for mental health services, it was estimated that 56% of sexual minority males had unmet needs (vs. 37% of heterosexual); no such difference existed among women. Other than gender, there were not significant interactions between sociodemographic factors and sexual orientation. Sexual minority individuals' higher mental health services use highlights the need for high-quality, culturally sensitive services. Future research should identify reasons for the greater proportion of unmet mental health service needs among sexual minority men.

State Minimum Wage and Food Insecurity Among US Households With Children.

Food insecurity among households with children and economic hardship is a persistent US challenge. Federal food assistance programs have been unable to fully address food insecurity, leading to interest in the role other labor and economic policies could play. One relevant state-level policy that has received limited attention is the state minimum wage. To assess whether state minimum wage generosity was associated with change in food insecurity among households with children and explore differential policy impacts across sociodemographic groups. This cross-sectional study of a national sample of US households from the Current Population Survey used a 2-way fixed effects modeling approach to test whether increases in state minimum wage from 2005 to 2022 were associated with improvements in food insecurity controlling for household- and state-level time-varying covariates. Working households with children who were most likely to be affected by policy changes (ie, limited educational attainment) were included. Analyses were conducted in July through September 2024. The 2022 inflation-adjusted effective minimum wage for each state in December which was derived from legal sources. Past-month household food insecurity assessed in December 2022. The sample of 97 944 working households with children and limited educational attainment were mostly female headed (54 077 [55.2%]) with a mean (SD) 1.8 (1.1) children in the home; 22 130 households (22.6%) reported Hispanic identity, 10 545 non-Hispanic Black (10.8%), and 59 500 non-Hispanic White (60.8%). Inflation-adjusted state minimum wage ranged from $7.15 to $16.85 over the 18-year study period. We observed that a 10% increase in the state minimum wage was significantly associated with a 0.39 percentage point reduction (95% CI, -0.74 to -0.04 percentage points; P = .03) in food insecurity. There was limited evidence of differences in the association across race and ethnicity, participation in the US Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or household composition. In this pooled cross-sectional study, findings suggest that state legislatures that elected to increase their state minimum wage may have also improved state food security rates among households with children at risk for economic hardship. Findings provide policymakers with actionable evidence to consider in setting minimum wages that could reduce the burden of food insecurity among US children and families.

Voting on a Trade Agreement: Firm Networks and Attitudes Towards Openness

Abstract We exploit a unique event to study the extent to which popular attitudes towards trade are driven by economic fundamentals. In 2007, Costa Rica put a free trade agreement (FTA) to a national referendum. With a single question on the ballot, 59% of Costa Rican adult citizens cast a vote on whether they wanted an FTA with the U.S. to be ratified or not. We merge disaggregated referendum results, which break new ground on anonymity-compatible voting data, with employer–employee, customs, and firm-to-firm transactions data, and data on household composition and expenditures. We document that a firm’s exposure to the FTA, directly and via input–output linkages, significantly influences the voting behaviour of its employees. This effect dominates that of sector-level exposure and is greater for voters aligned with pro-FTA political candidates. We also show that citizens considered the expected decrease in consumer prices when exercising their vote. Overall, economic factors explain 7% of the variation in voting patterns, which cannot be accounted for by non-economic factors such as political ideology, and played a pivotal role in this vote.

The new food sub-component of the absolute poverty basket: an optimal balance of elements

The Inter Institutional Scientific Commission on Absolute Poverty (IISCAP) was established at the National Institute of Statistics (Istat) at the beginning of 2022 with the aim of confirming the validity of methodology used since 2005 and improving the models for estimating poverty incidence. Several issues were addressed, including the calculation of the new version of the sub-component of the food basket, using new data sources and considering changes in the habits and lifestyles of households in Italy. This new data allowed for a more realistic picture of the great variety of foods consumed by people and has facilitated enhancing the basket. The main objective of this study is to illustrate the new approach in calculating the food component. National and international guidelines were used to assess the nutritional adequacy of the dietary plans for 12 age groups, based on the Dietary Reference Values for energy and nutrients (DRVs) for a healthy Italian population. Categorization of foods into groups and subgroups enabled the merger of individual portions and consumption frequencies with those recommended by healthy eating guidelines. Daily quantities for each type of food were calculated by considering portions (in grams) and consumption frequencies (daily or weekly); then, twelve nutritionally balanced and appropriately diversified food plans were developed in accordance with the age groups considered. The last phase of defining the food sub-component concerned its valorization through the identification of the average minimum price for each food and the application of the saving scales to consider the economies of scale depending on the household composition.

Associations of Social Vulnerability and Race-Ethnicity With Gastrointestinal Cancers in the United States.

National social determinant of health (SDoH) studies on gastrointestinal cancers (GIC) have observed single GIC-types for surgery but not across all GIC-types, non-surgical treatments outcomes, or mortality. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a validated large-data SDoH-tool, quantifiably characterizes the interrelatedness of SDoH-impact through dynamic, region-contextualized measures. This retrospective cohort study assessed GIC patients (20+ years) between 2013 and 2017 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for total and subcomponent social vulnerability associations across 15 SDoH-variables encompassing themes of socioeconomic status, minority-language status, household composition, and housing-transportation measured by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). These are measured and contextualized from all US counties. Univariate logistic and linear regressions of these vulnerability associations with treatment receipt (chemotherapy, radiation, primary surgery) and survival were performed for the entire cohort and across race/ethnicity strata. With increasing overall social vulnerability, 287,248 patients (162,387 [56.5%] male; 185,250 [64.6%] white) demonstrated decreased receipt of chemotherapy (lowest, pancreas-OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.88-0.93), radiotherapy (hepatic-OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.85-0.89) and surgery (esophagus-OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.87-0.92) for 13/14, 10/14, and 8/14 GIC-types, respectively. Survival period decreases upwards of 21.3% (biliary tract: 6.9-5.4 months) were observed across 7/14 GICs. Treatment receipt and survival decreases were exacerbated for non-White patients for 9/14 GICs. Socioeconomic status, minority-language, household composition, and housing-transportation vulnerabilities differentially contributed to these trends. Social vulnerability was associated with worse prognostic and treatment disparities, with certain SDoH-types differentially contributing to these detrimental trends per GIC-type while associations were exacerbated among non-White race/ethnic patients. These real-world contexts present actionable targets for further initiatives to combat GIC disparities.

African households: National and subnational trends from censuses and surveys

Using census and survey microdata from 49 African countries across 415 subnational areas, we offer a comprehensive overview of household size and composition in Africa. The study emphasizes the potential of these data for understanding family dynamics through co-residential units. Clear regional patterns emerge, showcasing a wide range of household sizes across the continent. We find that household size is linked primarily to the number of children and secondarily to the presence of other family and non-family members beyond the nuclear household. The analysis of household composition also highlights the uneven influence of polygyny and extended families. This research is a first step in examining harmonized census and survey data to delve into the structure and dynamics of households across Africa from a demographic perspective.

Ouers se primêre rol in geloofsvorming

Parents’ primary role in faith formation. This article, firstly seeks to explore the role parents play in shaping their children’s faith, and secondly, to examine how it influences congregations’ role. The article begins by providing a concise overview of faith transmission within households as described in the Bible and includes observations about the central role of God in the faith formation process. The article then discusses two significant arguments based on empirical and literature research. The primary argument is that parents hold the most significant influence over their children’s faith formation. This parental role is described by further highlighting four key aspects: (1) setting an example of faith; (2) acting as mentors; (3) fulfilling a socialisation role; and (4) fostering a positive parent-child relationship. The second argument addresses the consequent role of congregations in faith formation. It examines changes in the context, composition, and challenges of contemporary households, highlighting the collaborative role congregations can play in supporting parents in this process. The article concludes by presenting eight paradigm shifts designed to help congregations shape this supportive role effectively.Intradisciplinary/interdisciplinary implications: This article is written from an inclusive youth ministry paradigm, advocating an intentional move away from compartmentalised approaches to ministry and relationships. By adopting a holistic perspective on the role of parents in their children’s faith formation – and, by extension, on the overall well-being of parents and children – it offers valuable insights for congregational studies as well as child, youth, and family studies.

Changes in Latin American and Caribbean Household Structure Amidst Fertility Decline, 1960-2020.

Over the past six decades, significant demographic and familial changes, including rapid fertility decline, have occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), impacting household structure and formation. We document trends in and changes to household size and composition in the region, leveraging 144 country-year samples from census and survey microdata across 27 LAC countries. We measure changes in average household size, household composition by member relationship to the household head, and the evolution of female headship. Our findings show a general reduction in household size that mirrors the trend in fertility decline, albeit with subregional variations. An analysis of changes in members' relationships over time reveals that children are the main drivers of household shrinkage. The analysis also unveils the enduring complexity of household composition, namely of extended family structures. Female-headed households, which are characterized by more complex household structures than their male-headed counterparts, significantly increased over time. This trend partly explains the persistence of extended households in LAC. In addition, we document a gradual convergence in the average number of children per household between male- and female-headed households. These results challenge theories positing a global convergence towards nuclear family structures. Overall, LAC's demographic and familial transformations underscore the interplay between shrinking household size and persistent household complexity.