Brazilian Household Research Articles

Water flux management with low-cost iot technology for residences

Implementation of a low-cost water flux management System for residences. Applying bibliographic research for better comprehension of the concepts applied in the work, adopting quali-quantitative research through a survey aimed at a random audience, documentary research for information support on informal agencies and finally a case study to accomplish the construction of a profile of the average expenditure by a Brazilian family. The average water expenditure on Brazilian households exceeds the required amount stipulated by the World Health Organization to achieve sustainable usage, bad habits we maintain about water usage in our daily activities, get us even closer to a future shortage. The expense of water wastage, either by reading failure or clandestine connections, cost to the country a large amount of money. With the export, there is an excessive water consumption in large cities and a lack of control on the part of residents in moderating their use. With the implementation of this system, the resident will have the possibility to obtain the control, clearly over its residential consumption, besides a better awareness about how its actions affects the environment and consequently the people around it.

Reaching culturally acceptable and adequate diets at the lowest cost increment according to income level in Brazilian households.

To identify food choices allowing the fulfillment of nutritionally adequate diets resembling actual food patterns at the lowest cost achievable for the Brazilian population, stratified by income level. Food consumption and prices were obtained from the Household Budget Survey (n = 55,970 households) and National Dietary Survey (n = 32,749 individuals). The sample was stratified into capitals of the states and further by income levels according to the official minimum wage (totaling 108 geographic-economic strata, or GES). Linear programming models were performed for each GES in order to find the lowest cost of diets that meet a set of nutritional constraints. In order to find realistic diets, constraints referring to preferences were introduced in the models allowing optimized food quantities to depart progressively from the current intake for each food and food group. The impact of meeting each target nutrient was assessed by performing models removing each nutrient at the time. The observed and optimized diet costs were US$2.16 and US$2.58 per capita/day. The highest cost increment and the greatest food shifts were observed in the lowest income level. The nutrient adequacy was reached by mainly increasing fruits and vegetables, beans, fish and seafood, dairy, nuts, and eggs; and reducing red and processed meat, chicken, margarine and butter, cookies, cakes, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sauces. As the departure from the current intakes increase, the optimized healthy diet cost reduced. In the lowest income, the lowest cost increment was about US$ 0.10; in the higher income levels, it tended to be cheaper than the observed cost. Calcium was the most expensive nutrient to meet adequacy. Nutritionally adequate diets are possible but costlier than the observed.

Relationship between social indicators and food insecurity: a systematic review.

The relationships between the social indicators (SIs) that determine food insecurity (FI) have not been described yet. This systematic review aims to identify which SIs are associated with FI in Brazilian households and how these relationships are explained. The research protocol was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO - CRD42018106527). Three independent researchers performed the search in the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) and National Library of Medicine (PubMed) databases (June/2018). The study included articles that used the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Measurement Scale (Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar - EBIA) to assess FI and that evaluated the association between SIs and FI. We included 18 articles in this review. The Kappa concordance index between the researchers was 0.72 (95%CI 0.42 - 1.00). Most articles were cross-sectional and used multivariate regression for the statistical analysis. At least one income-related SI had a significant association with FI, and, in most studies, they presented the highest values of association measures. We organized the authors' explanation about the relationships between SIs and FI in a conceptual model. The study identified three possible justifications for the association between SIs and FI: direct relationship, relationship mediated by income, or relationship mediated by another SI and income. Income assumed a central role in the mediation between several SIs and FI. However, the analysis methods of the studies did not allow us to investigate this mediation. Therefore, improving data analysis to isolate and understand the effect of SIs on FI is still necessary.

Income and out-of-pocket health expenditure in living arrangements of families with older adults in Brazil

The main objective of this study was to characterize household sociodemographic and economic patterns of different living arrangements of families with older adults in Brazil and their relationship with income and out-of-pocket health expenditure. Data were extracted from the 2008-2009 Brazilian Household Budget Survey (POF, in Portuguese) database of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Families with older adults represented 28% of all families, being smaller and having higher average income when compared to families without older adults. Older adults were head of the household in 85% of the families, with income based mainly on social protection policies. The families with older adult or couple as head of the household had significantly higher average monthly income. The proportion of out-of-pocket health expenditure per income quintile per capita was higher for families with one older adult or couple as head of the household, when compared to families without older adult as head of the household and even more in families without older adults at all. These findings allow the identification of potential positive impacts on the quality of life of families with older adults in Brazil. The higher household income of families with older adults is a consequence of the expansion of inclusive social protection policies for this population in the 2000s in Brazil, especially for families with lower average income levels, representing 4/5 of this population. The economic and political crisis in the 2010s have probably reduced these families' relative advantage, and this study will compare with results of the next survey.

The Agricultural Wage Gap: Evidence from Brazilian Micro-data

A key feature of developing economies is that wages in agriculture are below those of other sectors. Using Brazilian household surveys and administrative panel data, I use information on workers who switch sectors and workers with multiple jobs to assess the role of worker composition in explaining this gap. The evidence is consistent with the presence of significant intersector sorting in Brazil. A calibrated sorting model can account for the wage gap level observed, as well as its decline, as the economy transitioned out of agriculture. (JEL J24, J31, J43, O13, Q10)

O que apreendemos sobre o período colonial na internet? Um estudo das narrativas históricas sobre o Brasil Colônia disponíveis na "World Wide Web"

De acordo com dados recentemente divulgados pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). No ano de 2016, pelo menos uma pessoa em 64,7% dos lares brasileiros esteve conectada à internet. Como um meio de propagação de ideias, a "World Wide Web" proporciona uma panóplia de informações sobre os mais variados temas, incluindo aqueles relacionados à história. Diante das transformações suscitadas pelas diversas características intrínsecas à internet, é relevante verificar as conexões entre as narrativas históricas e a mídia em questão, ou seja, as mutações provocadas no campo da história. Para tanto privilegiou-se as narrativas sobre o período denominado Brasil Colônia. A pesquisa analisa tanto a qualidade quanto as narrativas históricas de cinco websites sobre a temática, concluindo que existe uma grande defasagem em relação a produção historiográfica atual.

Expenditure on cultural events: preferences or opportunities? An analysis of Brazilian consumer data

Brazil is characterized by a sharp consumption market and cultural activities across its distinct locations and social groups. With this in mind, this paper focuses on the relationship between supply of cultural facilities in Brazilian Metropolitan Regions (MR) and household expenditure on outdoor cultural activities through estimation of a two-stage (households and MRs) multilevel logistic model, using microdata from the Brazilian Consumer Expenditure Survey of 2002–2003 and 2008–2009. It was concluded that there is a strong concentration of expenditure distribution among different socioeconomic groups, and that expenditures on outdoor cultural activities (movies, concerts and arts) have demonstrated to be weakly correlated with the qualities of the different study Brazilian MRs, because greater variability of expenditure occurs within these regions. Thus, we also confirmed the hypothesis that recent advances in cultural policies have not been enough to reverse the inertia of inequality. Therefore, public initiatives in favor of cultural democratization, especially for inclusion of lower classes in cultural spaces, should consider the issue comprehensively, combining institutional supply issues, urban policy and public education.

Effects of family income and conditional cash transfers on household food insecurity: evidence from a longitudinal study in Northeast Brazil.

Food insecurity (FI) is a challenge to policy makers worldwide, who need to understand which polices and programmes are effective at overcoming FI. The present study aimed to examine the impact of family income and conditional cash transfers on changes in household FI status in a highly vulnerable municipality in Northeast Brazil. A population-based longitudinal cohort study among families in a municipality in the semi-arid area in Northeast Brazil (2011 and 2014). FI was estimated with the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Measurement Scale (EBIA). The effects of family income and cash transfer on changes in FI were estimated using logistic regression models and the population-attributable risk fraction. Households in Cuité, Paraíba, Brazil. Household respondents interviewed in 2011 (n 358) and 2014 (n 326). There was a reduction in FI prevalence of 17·5 % across time; 24·5 % of families who were food insecure in 2011 became food secure in 2014. After adjustment, families that did not experience an increase in their total household income or a reduction in the cash transfer amount were at increased risk of persistent FI across time. If the cash transfer programme had not been in place, about 10 % of the families that switched from food insecure to food secure across time would have remained in FI instead. The decrease of FI occurred in an area of extreme climatic and social vulnerability. These changes were more related to the cash transfer than the increase in family income over time.

Internet access in recessionary periods: The case of Brazil

We analyze the impact of recessionary periods on Internet access of households in Brazil. We use microdata on Brazilian households and econometric techniques, such as pooled OLS and Probit regression models, to show that the Brazilian recession had a substantial negative impact on the Internet access of households. We find that, on average, the demand for Internet access at home decreased 8 p.p. due to the deteriorated economic situation. The data also reveal that regions in which Internet access was more widespread suffered a higher percentage decline. Households with lower levels of income and schooling also experience a stronger negative impact on Internet access rates due to the crisis. Our findings suggest that households perceive Internet access as an essential service, making them substitute Internet access at home to other cheaper ways of accessing it outside home when adverse conditions befall.

Chinese imports’ impacts on Brazil’s inter-industry wage premium

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of Chinese and non-Chinese import penetration on the inter-industry wage premium, and how such effects vary according to the unskilled-labor intensity of the industry and to the implementation of the Nova Matriz Economica policy in 2008.Design/methodology/approachThe paper empirically examines the effects of the Chinese and non-Chinese import penetration on the wage premium using a linear instrumental variables model and data from Brazilian household surveys and censuses.FindingsThe estimates show the Chinese import penetration positively affecting the wage premium in unskilled-labor intensive. And the implementation of the new macroeconomic policy strengthened this effect.Originality/valueTo the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first paper to study the effects of Chinese and non-Chinese import penetration on the inter-industry wage premium.

Heterogeneity and the Energy Consumption of Brazilian Households: A Structural Analysis

This paper develops a structural economic model of the residential sector of an economy. The model features households that are heterogeneous with regard to their income. Given their incomes, households decide how much to spend on a plethora of different goods that use electrical energy as an input. The price of energy is non-linear and depends on one's energy demand. The model parameters are disciplined using rich Brazilian consumption micro data at the household level. The data exhibits substantial heterogeneity of expenditures on electric appliances and energy across the different income deciles, and the model is able to capture these features. We use the calibrated model to perform a variety of counterfactuals. The results suggest that the impact of changes in prices and income varies substantially across income groups. We also study the adoption of a new technology. In particular, the introduction of more energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs is especially helpful to poorer households, despite the bulbs' higher cost.

Reproducibility on science: Challenges and advances in Brazilian alcohol surveys

BackgroundReproducibility in Science is challenging and may be hard to achieve in alcohol research. Previous general population surveys in Brazil have estimated the prevalence of alcohol dependence to be around 10%. We aim to estimate alcohol use and dependence using different methods and definitions. MethodsThe 3rd Brazilian Household Survey on Substance Use (BHSU-3) was a nationwide, probability sample survey that interviewed 16,273 individuals. DSM-IV-TR criteria were used to determine alcohol dependence. In the BHSU-2 (covering only Brazil’s 108 largest municipalities), alcohol dependence was defined as fulfilling 2/6 DSM-III criteria. Using the BHSU-3 data, alcohol use was estimated at: [1] the national level, [2] BHSU-2 municipalities, taking into consideration the sample design, and [3] BHSU-2 municipalities, ignoring the sample design. Alcohol dependence was calculated using: BHSU-3 and BHSU-2 definitions, two denominators ([A] population and [B] 12-month drinkers), and [1], [2], [3]. ResultsLifetime alcohol use ranged from 66.4% (95%CI:64.8–68.0 [1]) to 70.1% ([95%CI:69.1–71.0], [3]). The estimated population presenting with alcohol dependence ranged from N = 2.3 million (BHSU-3 definition, [1]) to N = 4.3 million (BHSU-2 definition, [1]). In the first case, the prevalence among the general population [A] and drinkers [B] was 1.5% (95%CI:1.2–1.8) and 3.5% (95%CI:2.8–4.2), respectively. In second case, prevalence was 2.8% (95%CI:2.4–3.3, [A]) and 6.6% (95%CI:5.6–7.6, [B]). ConclusionsPrevalence of alcohol dependence may vary as much as 4.3 times, analyzing the same dataset in different ways. Brazilian research on alcohol is funded by governmental research and policy-making agencies, providing subsidies for alcohol policy in the country. It is crucial that sufficient methodological information is provided in order to guarantee reproducibility and consistency over time.

Assessment of trends of nutritional status, central obesity, and growth profile using anthropometric measurements in adolescent athletes from a sport-oriented public school.

The aims were to evaluate the nutritional status, central adiposity, and physical growth profile of adolescents in a sports-oriented public school (SOPS) and to describe the results considering the Brazilian and American adolescents' survey studies. This study was a dynamic cohort, performed in 2012-2013 and 2015. 1,082 adolescent athletes (11-16 years old) participated. Anthropometric data (height [H], weight, and waist circumference [WC]) were collected yearly. The nutritional status was assessed using BMI Z-score; trunk fat, using WC and WC/H ratio; and growth, using height z-score. The SOPS results were described considering data from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey (HBS-Southeast region) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Anthropometric data was compared using linear mixed effects regression models, considering sex, age group and time. Considering height Z-score and BMI Z-score values, none of the adolescents in the SOPS had short stature or underweight, and the obesity prevalence was approximately 1% throughout the study. HBS survey revealed 3.4% of obesity prevalence in adolescents (11-16 years old). Considering age and time, significant differences in WC for both sexes were observed. However, considering NHANES data, our participants were classified in P5-25. These results suggest that the nutritional status of adolescents in the SOPS was good, obesity prevalence was 1% and WC measurement was within P5-25 considering NHANES data. This supports the public policies encouraging involvement in sports at school, which should be one of the priorities in the health promotion agenda, reducing the development of future chronic diseases.

Non-medical use of opioid analgesics in contemporary Brazil: Findings from the 2015 Brazilian National Household Survey on Substance Use

ABSTRACTPrior studies on substance use in Brazil have not focused on opioid misuse, previously thought to be nearly non-existent. This paper presents new findings on heroin and non-medical use of opioid analgesics. Data come from the 2015 Brazilian Household Survey on Substance Use (BHSU-3), a nationally representative survey estimating epidemiological parameters related to substance use by residents across Brazil. BHSU-3 used stratified multi-stage probability sampling across multiple geographic domains of interest, resulting in 16,273 interviews with household residents. Lifetime heroin use among Brazilians was 0.3 (95% C.I:0.2–0.4). Lifetime, past-year, and past-month non-medical use of opioid analgesics were respectively 2.9 (95%C.I.:2.3–3.4), 1.4 (95%C.I.:1.1–1.7) and 0.6 (95%C.I.:0.4–0.8). Past-year prevalence of non-medical opioid analgesics use was lower among males [Prevalence Ratio (PR): 0.54 (95% C.I.:0.36–0.78)], those aged 12–24 [0.56 (95% C.I.:0.34–0.92)], persons with monthly family incomes between R$1,501–3,000 [0.59 (95% C.I.:0.38–0.92)] or greater than R$3,000 [0.64 (95% C.I.:0.42–0.98)], and persons who were unemployed [0.65 (95% C.I.:0.46–0.92)]. Non-medical use of opioids in Brazil may be more prevalent than previously recognised. Proper measurement and evaluation of opioid misuse across Brazil and other Latin American countries is critical to understand and prevent opioid-related harms.

Liquidity constraints, spillovers, and entrepreneurship: evidence from a cash transfer program

This paper exploits a liquidity shock from a welfare program in Brazil to investigate the role of financial constraints, in opposition to general equilibrium mechanisms, in explaining entrepreneurship. Previous research focuses exclusively on how liquidity changes recipients’ behavior through direct effects on reducing constraints. However, liquidity shocks may also produce spillovers from recipients to others and thereby indirectly affect entrepreneurial decisions. This paper presents a method for decomposing the liquidity shock into direct effects associated with relieving individual constraints, and indirect effects associated with spillovers to other individuals. Results suggest that the program, which assists 20 percent of Brazilian households, increased the number of small entrepreneurs by 10 percent. However, this increase is entirely driven by the indirect effect. Further tests suggest that this effect is associated with an increase in private transfers between households. Thus, entrepreneurship tends to respond more to the interaction between households than to financial constraints.

Association between minor mental disorders and household feeding insecurity among mothers of children less than one-year-old

Household food insecurity (HFI) is related to health and nutritional problems, however there are few extant studies that relate it to mental health. The scope of this article is to associate HFI with the risk of minor mental disorders (MMD) in mothers with one-year-old children. A prospective cohort was conducted with 194 mothers and their babies from birth onwards. HFI was measured fourth months after birth using the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity scale and MMD risk amongst mothers was measured by the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) when their baby was one year old. Socio-economic and health status were used for control. HFI was present in 59.3% of the families. The MMD risk ratio was 1.59 (CI 95%: 1.10 - 2.31) in HFI families compared with secure families. This relationship remains significant in the multiple logistic model, OR= 2.20 (CI 95%: 1.16 - 4.20), after controlling by socio-economic and health variables. HFI is an independent risk factor to maternal risk of MMD. It should be important to include strategies to reduce HFI by promoting maternal mental health and improving child-mother quality of life.

Welfare Transfers, Informal Financing, and Entrepreneurship Among the Poor

This paper exploits a liquidity shock from a large-scale welfare program in Brazil to investigate the importance of credit constraints and informal private transfers in explaining entrepreneurship. Previous research focuses exclusively on how liquidity shocks change recipients’ behavior through direct effects on reducing financial constraints. However, the shock may also produce spillovers from recipients to others through private transfers and thereby indirectly affect decisions to be an entrepreneur. This paper presents a method for decomposing the liquidity shock into direct effects associated with relieving financial constraints, and indirect effects associated with spillovers to other individuals. Results suggest that the program, which assists 20 percent of Brazilian households, has increased the number of small entrepreneurs by 10 percent. However, this increase is almost entirely driven by the indirect effect, which is related to an increase in private transfers among poor households. Thus the creation of small businesses tends to be more responsive to the opportunity cost of mutual assistance between households than to financial constraints.

Analgesic use among the Brazilian population: Results from the National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines (PNAUM).

PurposeTo estimate the prevalence of use of analgesics in Brazil; and to characterize this use, according to sociodemographic and health-related characteristics.MethodsA cross-sectional population-based study (National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines, PNAUM) was conducted between September 2013 and February 2014. A total of 41,433 people of all ages in Brazilian urban households were interviewed. Occasional use (within the last 15 days) and continuous use of non-opioid analgesics, opioid analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were investigated, regardless of whether this use occurred through prescription or self-medication. The main outcome was the use of at least one analgesic.ResultsThe majority of the individuals were female (52.8%), aged between 20 and 59 years (57.2%), with 1 to 8 years of schooling (45.6%). The overall prevalence of analgesic use was 22.8% [95% CI: 21.4–24.2]. The use of analgesics was significantly higher among women, adults and elderly (20 years or more), highly educated individuals and respondents who referred: diagnosis of one or more chronic diseases, using three or more medications, possession of health insurance and with one or more emergency care admittances or hospitalizations within the last year. Non-opioid analgesics were the agents most used (18.5% of the sample), followed by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (6.9%) and opioid analgesics (0.5%). The most commonly used drugs were metamizole (37.8% of all analgesics), paracetamol (25.3%) and diclofenac (10.7%). These drugs were used mainly to manage occasional health conditions, particularly pain.ConclusionOne in five Brazilians used some analgesic, especially non-opioid analgesics, to manage acute health problems such as painful conditions.

Governos Lula: a era do consumo?

RESUMO Os governos Lula (2003-2010) foram rotulados de “a era do consumo” e do excessivo endividamento das famílias. Esse rótulo é no mínimo impreciso. O objetivo do artigo é analisar o período 2003-2010 à luz de informações objetivas e a partir da teoria econômica de Keynes e dos pós-keynesianos. Concluiu-se que o consumo foi o ponto de partida, mas o que marcou, particularmente, o segundo governo de Lula (2007-2010) foi o crescimento do investimento público e privado. Durante os dois governos do presidente Lula o investimento cresceu muito mais que o consumo. Além disso, o grau de endividamento das famílias brasileiras, em verdade, cresceu muito, mas não pode ser considerado excessivo quando comparado com os padrões internacionais. O artigo também mostra que não foi o modelo de endividamento das famílias que provocou a desaceleração econômica em 2011.

Impacts of the active power demand measurement-time resolution on the financial attractiveness of domestic solar hot water systems

This work assesses the electricity consumption profile of domestic solar hot water systems (DSHWS) and analyses, at high measurement-time resolutions for the first time, their economic viability in popular housing projects in Brazil. It analyses the impacts of the active power demand measurement-time resolution on the financial attractiveness of DSHWS. The predominance of a late-evening profile of electricity consumption for showering, coinciding with distribution utilities’ peak demand hours, leads to over 40% avoided active power during peak hours per consumer unit when adopting DSHWS. There is potential to finance DSHWS in popular housing with very favourable conditions for the distribution utility. For discount rates ranging from 0 to 9.5%, payback times ranged between less than four and five years, NPV between $ 2,191 and $ 782, and IRR between 25% and 14%. The measurement of power demand at 15-min intervals, widely adopted by distribution utilities, is not adequate to properly evaluate the financial attractiveness of DSHWS, resulting in pessimistic financial analyses of the return on investment. The low load-factor of electric showerheads used in >90% of Brazilian households, leads to the accounting of only 37% of the real avoided cost of adopting DSHWS when measuring power demand in 15-min intervals.