Loss Of Income Research Articles

The socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on families affected by childhood respiratory illnesses in Cape Town, South Africa.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted families globally, directly and indirectly. Children presenting with respiratory illnesses are affected by emerging health systems and socioeconomic changes in the COVID-19 era. We explored the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on families with a respiratory illness diagnosed in their child in Cape Town, South Africa. This study was nested in a prospective observational cohort of children presenting with respiratory symptoms presumptive of COVID-19. We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews to explore the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families with a child affected by respiratory illnesses. We used case descriptive analysis and thematically organised common and divergent experiences. We found that socioeconomic challenges in low-income communities were exacerbated: 1) loss of pre-COVID sources of income (loss of income, employment and working hours), 2) shrinking employment opportunities due to business closures and strict preventative measures, 3) family network dependence to cope with financial pressures, 4) impact on education, implicating additional pressures due to lack of resources for adequate home schooling and 5) caregivers' mental health and wellbeing being impacted, causing stress and anxiety due to loss of income. This study shows that the COVID-19 lockdown impacted the socioeconomic aspects of families caring for a child with a respiratory illness. Care became more complicated and adversely impacted the family's emotional well-being and health-seeking behaviour. These impacts should be more carefully considered in order to strengthen health services and global health messaging in future pandemics.

Lessons from integrating mental health as part of lymphatic filariasis morbidity management and disability prevention services in Jigawa State, Nigeria.

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a neglected tropical disease affecting >120 million people worldwide. LF has debilitating effects on humans and leads to morbidity and sometimes irreversible disability. A significant proportion of persons affected by LF morbidity also suffer from ill health, such as depression, anxiety, pain, stigma and social isolation due to disfigurement, as well as loss of mobility, livelihood and income. Mental health is often overlooked as a component of morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP) services, despite the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among people affected by LF. To address this gap, Christian Blind Mission (CBM) piloted a comprehensive approach providing morbidity management and disability prevention by integrating mental health as part of the MMDP care package. The participatory evaluation of the project reviewed the project documents and a review meeting, small group discussions and in-depth interviews with project stakeholders. Findings suggest that project training and service delivery targets were exceeded in most cases. In addition, the disability and gender disaggregated data highlights the interplay of gender and disability in accessing care and the existence of unmet mental health needs. The financial cost of transportation to utilise referrals or access other MMDP services, such as replenishing treatment supplies, was a major constraint in accessing services for LF morbidity patients and low levels of awareness, fear of hydrocoele surgery and social stigmatisation were reported. The project outcomes demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating mental health as part of a comprehensive MMDP package of care. Integration strategies should target training of MMDP providers in basic mental health skills, screening for mental health issues and the provision of mental health services and other MMDP services within the same facilities. Integration is an important step towards comprehensive care for people affected by LF and other NTD morbidities and disabilities.

Effects of COVID on Mandated Child Abuse Reporting Among Nurses: The Mediating Role of Compassion Fatigue.

Because COVID triggered elevated rates of child abuse, but diminished rates of child abuse reporting, we explored predictors of nurses' attitudes toward reporting suspected child abuse during the COVID pandemic. In particular, we expected that compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction would mediate the effects of COVID-related stressors (i.e., exposure to COVID patient death and suffering; COVID-related family income loss; frequent direct care of COVID patients; and parental burnout) on nurses' negative attitudes toward reporting suspected child abuse. Employing chain-referral sampling, we recruited a sample of 244 registered nurses (83% White; 87% women). Supporting hypotheses, compassion fatigue mediated the effects of job-related COVID stressors (exposure to COVID patient death and suffering; COVID-related family income loss; and frequent direct care of COVID patients) on nurses' negative attitudes toward reporting suspected child abuse. In addition, among nurses who were also parents, nurses' self-reported parental burnout mediated the relation between compassion fatigue and negative attitudes toward reporting suspected child abuse. In addition, compassion satisfaction mediated the effect of nurses' parental burnout on nurses' negative attitudes toward reporting suspected child abuse.

Assessing the Effects of Flood on Crop and Livestock Production in Bagalkot District of Karnataka, India

Aims: India is the second most flood-affected country, trailing behind Bangladesh. Over the past two decades, Karnataka has been subjected to severe flooding. Keeping the above in view, a research initiative to analyze the effect of floods on crop and livestock production was undertaken.
 Study Design: Multi stage purposive sampling technique was adopted for the study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Bagalkot district of Northern Karnataka was purposively selected for the study.
 Methodology: The study is based on primary data collected from 90 respondents belonging to Ghataprabha and Krishna river basins in Mudhol (45) and Jamakhandi (45) taluks.
 Results: Analysis of cropping patterns reveals sugarcane as the dominant crop with maize also significant. Floods in 2019 caused substantial crop damage, particularly affecting sugarcane and maize, resulting in significant income losses for farmers. The results indicated that the, during 2019, 78.03 and 21.97 per cent of sugarcane and maize areas were affected by floods with a percentage income reduction of 65.84 and 62.87 percent, respectively. The severity of flood was quite less during 2020 where 76.72 and 23.27 percent of sugarcane and maize areas were affected by floods with 29.47 and 33.24 percent, reduction in income respectively.
 Conclusion: Livestock losses were also considerable, with farmers facing economic burdens due to animal deaths and injuries. Soil erosion, predominantly splash and sheet erosion, was prevalent during both years, affecting agricultural productivity. Compensation for losses remained inadequate, highlighting challenges in addressing flood-related damages in the region.

How does an economic shock affect environmental attitudes, preferences and issue importance? Evidence from Switzerland

How do economic shocks affect pressure by the mass public for pro-environmental political action? If democratic systems are to develop and sustain ambitious environmental policy over several decades, this question is important to answer. Theoretically, we argue to look beyond changes in attitudes such as environmental concern, and trace whether and how citizen's policy preferences, and the political importance they attach to environment-related issues change when experiencing a deterioration of their personal economic situation. Empirically, we draw on high-quality population-representative panel survey data for an affluent country, Switzerland, combining tailored survey measures for quasi-random Corona-related employment and income losses, nuanced measures of environmental attitudes and policy preferences, and recently developed measures for issue importance. We neither find a decline of environmental policy support among economically affected individuals compared to the rest of the population (a population wide drop, however), nor lower importance given to environment related relative to economic issues in voting decisions. While this suggests that politicians need not fear electoral losses when pursuing environmental policies in times of economic crisis, we note that the severe extent of the Covid-induced recession, coupled with a rapid recovery, is peculiar to this economic crisis and warrants further research regarding the generalizability of our findings to economic shocks of longer duration.

Out-of-pocket expenditure among patients with diabetic foot ulcer in a tertiary care hospital of south India: A cross-sectional study.

Diabetic foot ulcer is a debilitating complication of long-standing diabetes mellitus. Patients lose their earning potential, face repeated hospitalizations, and are forced to bear heavy treatment costs. This places an enormous financial burden on the patients and their families. This study seeks to ascertain the out-of-pocket expenditure among these patients and correlate it with their risk factor profile. In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, a total of 154 patients with diabetic foot ulcers or amputations have been studied with an elaborate patient questionnaire and relevant clinical examinations. The costs incurred and the risk factors of the patients were analyzed for statistical association. The median total annual out-of-pocket expenditure for the management of diabetic foot ulcers among the study participants was found to be ₹29 775 (₹9650-₹81 120) ($378.14 [$122.56-$1030.22]). Out of the total expenditure, 58.49% went towards direct medical costs, 5.64% towards direct non-medical costs, and 35.88% for indirect costs. Medications, ulcer dressing and periodic debridement have accounted for 79.26% of direct medical costs. Transportation (61.37%) and patient's loss of income (89.45%) account for the major costs under the direct non-medical and indirect cost categories, respectively. A high ulcer grade and area, long ulcer duration, and past history of ulcers have higher expenditure. Patients seeking treatment from private establishments and those engaged in professional/skilled occupations have higher expenses. Adequate dressing of foot ulcers and proper footwear are associated with lower treatment expenditure. 68.8% of the participants have faced catastrophic expenditure due to treatment costs of diabetic foot ulcers. Adequate glycaemic control and proper foot care are necessary. Patients must seek medical care at the earliest in case of foot ulceration. Clinicians must provide proper wound care, institute effective antibiotics, and manage the complications. Government and insurance schemes are required to alleviate the patients' financial burden.

The real effects of borrower-based macroprudential policy: Evidence from administrative household-level data

We analyze the effects of borrower-based macroprudential policy at the household level. We exploit administrative Dutch tax and housing records in conjunction with the introduction of a mortgage loan-to-value (LTV) limit. We find that the regulation sharply reduces mortgage leverage with bunching at the LTV limit. While (regulation) affected households reduce total leverage and interest expenses, they also decrease cash balances to satisfy the LTV limit, generating an important solvency-liquidity trade-off. Nevertheless, affected households experience less financial distress after the introduction of the LTV regulation. Moreover, these households experience better liquidity management and smoother consumption following income loss. Overall, our results highlight the key financial stability and real effects of borrower-based macroprudential policy.

Socioeconomic determinants of income loss during COVID-19 in a mountainous area in Vietnam

ABSTRACT Identifying vulnerable socioeconomic groups enables policymakers to design relevant intervention strategies and garner the support necessary to implement them. Previous studies indicate that COVID-19 contributed to widening socioeconomic inequalities, but a gap remains in understanding the impacts of the pandemic on ethnic groups in mountainous areas in Vietnam. We conducted interviews and applied logistic regression methods to analyse the relationships between socioeconomic factors and the likelihood of losing income due to the pandemic. We found that Indigenous people, communes, jobholders with more physical contact at work, groups that include more boys, and smaller residential landholders were more likely to suffer from COVID-19-related income loss. The findings of this study enable the Vietnamese Government and practitioners to better understand the impacts of COVID-19 on households in mountainous areas. This study may guide the government toward developing policies for reducing the impact of similar pandemics on those groups in mountainous locations.

COVID-19 impacts and inequities among underserved communities with diabetes

BackgroundPeople with diabetes have higher COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. These risks are amplified for underserved communities including racial/ethnic minorities and people with lower socioeconomic status. However, limited research has examined COVID-19 outcomes specifically affecting underserved communities with diabetes. MethodsFrom November 2021 to July 2022, adults with insulin-requiring diabetes at federally qualified health centers in Florida and California (n = 450) completed surveys examining COVID-19 outcomes and demographics. Surveys assessed COVID-19 severity, vaccination uptake, mask-wearing habits, income changes, and healthcare access changes. Surveys also included the full Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS-19). Descriptive statistics were computed for all outcomes. Between-group comparisons for state and race/ethnicity were evaluated via Chi-Squared, Fisher’s Exact, Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel, One-Way ANOVA, and t-tests. Logistic regression determined factors associated with COVID-19 vaccination uptake. Data were self-reported and analyzed cross-sectionally. ResultsOverall, 29.7 % reported contracting COVID-19; of those, 45.3 % sought care or were hospitalized. Most (81.3 %) received ≥ 1 vaccine. Hispanics had the highest vaccination rate (91.1 %); Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) had the lowest (73.9 %; p =.0281). Hispanics had 4.63x greater vaccination odds than Non-Hispanic Whites ([NHWs]; 95 % CI = [1.81, 11.89]). NHWs least often wore masks (18.8 %; p <.001). Participants reported pandemic-related healthcare changes (62 %) and higher costs of diabetes medications (41 %). Income loss was more frequent in Florida (76 %; p <.001). NHBs most frequently reported “severe” income loss (26.4 %; p =.0124). Loss of health insurance was more common among NHBs (13.3 %; p =.0416) and in Florida (9.7 %; p =.039). COVID-19 anxiety was highest among NHBs and Hispanics (IQR = [0.0, 3.0]; p =.0232) and in Florida (IQR = [0.0, 2.0]; p =.0435). ConclusionsUnderserved communities with diabetes had high COVID-19 vaccine uptake but experienced significant COVID-19-related physical, psychosocial, and financial impacts. NHBs and those in Florida had worse outcomes than other racial/ethnic groups and those in California. Further research, interventions, and policy changes are needed to promote health equity for this population.

Parents’ Evaluation of Changes in Parents’ and Children’ Physical and Psychological Health Status in COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: People’s social activities were restricted by COVID-19 pandemic measures such as blocking access to cities, suspending schools. For normal psychological development and well-being of children, social interaction is an essential component. COVID-19 crisis has affected the psychological well-being of both parents and children through parental job loss, income loss, caregiving burden and terror of infection. &#x0D; Materials &amp; Methods: This research was done in the 2020-2021 academic year. Snowball sampling method is used, and 100 participants were reached during a 4-week time interval after ethical approval. Survey was created as an online form and its link was distributed via social media platforms. Survey composed of demographic questions and topic related questions about COVID-19 to both parents and children. Questionnaire was designed for parents to fill out. For data analysis, Chi-Square test was used.&#x0D; Results: The mean age of participants was 40.36 ± 6.463 and mean age of participants’ children was 11.69 ± 3.390. 93% of participants indicated that internet usage of their child increased during the pandemic. 91.9% of the parents stated that they have fears/concerns about the coronavirus becoming pandemic in the world. 52% of the parents stated that their child gained weight during the pandemic process. Significant association was found between the child's weight gain and the increase in the child's fears/worries (p= .006). A significant relationship was found between the presence of COVID-19 cases in or around the family and the increase in the fears/worries of the children (p= .024). &#x0D; Conclusion: According to parents’ perspective, 93% of participants’ child internet usage increased during pandemic. 73% of the parents reported that there has been an increase in the fears/ worries of children. On the other hand, 96% of the participants have stated that they have concerns of being negatively affected economically due to coronavirus pandemic. Significant relationship between fears/worries of parents’ and children was not found. In our study, there has been a significant relationship between fears/worries of children and their weight status. Parents of children who stated an increase in the worries of their child also stated that their children gained weight. Also, significant relationship was found between the presence of COVID-19 cases in or around the family and the increase in the fears/worries of the children.

The three I's of downward income mobility: A directional subgroup decomposable measure

AbstractThe Foster‐Greer‐Thorbecke class of indices and the TIP curve have become classical tools to measure poverty. In this paper we adapt these indices and curve to the income mobility literature and measure downward income mobility considering its three dimensions of incidence, intensity, and inequality. This strategy allows us to incorporate reference dependence, loss aversion and diminishing sensitivity, features emphasized as welfare determinants in Prospect Theory. We propose the use of a class of measures and a Three I's of Downward Mobility curve as a useful graphical device in the income growth framework. Based on this curve we can evaluate the degree of regressivity (or progressivity) of income losses. We provide an empirical illustration for Spain in two recent recession periods. Results show that even if for most households the pandemic shock was not as severe as the Great Recession, some sociodemographic groups had a more similar downward mobility experience in both crises.

Federal Business Subsidies: Explosive Growth Since 2014

Federal business subsidies have risen 140 per cent over the nine years ending in 2023–24, compared to 17 per cent over the previous nine years. New programs accounted for over half the growth. Clean economy measures, which rose $7 billion from 2014–15 to 2023–24, were the major contributor to growth in new programs. Even without the new climate change measures, business subsidies would have doubled over the period. Subsidies are likely to reach about $50 billion in 2027–28, which would represent 54 per cent of corporate income tax revenue, up from 42 per cent in 2014–15. Other key findings are: Small and medium-sized enterprises benefit disproportionately from subsidies. These firms account for about half of output in Canada but receive approximately two-thirds of business subsidies. Clean economy measures account for almost a fifth of business subsidies. The agri-food sector receives the second largest share, approximately 15 per cent, which is substantial relative to its four per cent output share. Business subsidies are concentrated in a small number of programs. In the current fiscal year, the top 10 programs (out of almost 150 programs) account for almost 60 per cent of subsidies, and the top 20 for almost 80 per cent. Spending programs account for a surprisingly small share of business subsidies — approximately 30 per cent in the current fiscal year. The tax system is the most important delivery mechanism (45 per cent), while government business enterprises and refundable tax credits account for just over 10 per cent each. What are taxpayers getting in return for the massive spending on subsidies? They are certainly getting more of the activities that are being subsidized and less of the activities that arenot. However, this change in the composition of economic activity won’t necessarily improve well-being because market prices generally allocate society’s scarce resources to their best uses. That is, if markets are functioning properly, subsidies harm rather than help economic performance. On the other hand, if subsidy programs address a market failure, the resulting reallocation of activity may be more efficient. Federal business subsidies that have the potential to improve economic performance, or more generally, to enhance well-being, because they address a market failure accounted for 64 per cent of business subsidies in 2023–24. However, measures accounting for about two-thirds of this spending fail a benefit-cost test — they are not successful in raising Canadians’ real income. These programs should be reviewed to determine if they can be restructured to deliver a positive net benefit. If not, they should be eliminated. Measures accounting for 36 per cent of total spending in 2023–24 are not intended to correct a market failure and are therefore transferring income from one group of Canadians to another while harming economic performance. These measures include general business subsidies and initiatives providing income support. These measures should be carefully reviewed to determine if their income redistribution effects can be justified in the context of the real income loss they cause. Since 2019–20, subsidies implemented to mitigate the impact of climate change and to creategood jobs by subsidizing high-productivity, high-wage industries have grown in importance andwill continue to do so. Climate change mitigation measures should only be implemented if they complement carbon pricing, the government’s main and most cost-effective instrument for reducing emissions. If they meet this minimum condition, climate change mitigation measures should be assessed based on their relative cost-effectiveness in reducing emissions. The proposition that subsidies intended to create good jobs are sound public policy is controversial. The impact of these measures should be tested against the data before additional funds are committed.

Transformation of interaction between banks and leasing companies in the context of geopolitical challenges

Aim. To develop proposals and practical recommendations on the transformation of interaction between banks and leasing companies, which will allow to increase the volume of their interaction, as well as to improve its efficiency due to additional commission income and increased profitability.Objectives. To study and systematize macroeconomic indicators of the segments of banking and leasing services in Russia; to propose a new model of interaction between a bank and a leasing company, which is aimed at increasing its commission income and profitability; to assess the effectiveness of the developed recommendations and their potential to increase the financial result from the financing of leasing operations by the bank.Methods. The author used a set of existing basic research methods, allowing to ensure the reliability of conclusions, including economic and mathematical modeling, system approach, sample observation, comparison, analysis and synthesis.Results. Leasing is a part of credit activity of many commercial banks, forming their infrastructural elements, and occupies the largest share in the financial market of Russia after bank loans. The interest of domestic banks in financing leasing operations is conditioned by a number of factors: in the conditions of increasing competition in the market of financial services commercial banks have to develop and implement financial innovations in order to obtain additional income, which leasing allows them to do; availability of solid loan collateral in the form of the leasing object and the possibility of obtaining additional commission; availability of ready leasing infrastructure, i.e. rapidly developing market of leasing services and a whole range of effective leasing services; availability of leasing services in the form of the leasing object and the possibility of obtaining additional commission fees; availability of a ready-made leasing infrastructure, i.e. a rapidly developing market of leasing services and a whole range of effective leasing services. Despite the fact that both segments of the financial market the segments of banking and leasing services — are developing, their interaction needs transformation, since the banking business is under-receiving income from the leasing segment. Among the reasons for this situation are the decline in the volume of new leasing transactions under the influence of the geopolitical crisis, which exacerbated the problem of the shortage of leasing items; early termination of a number of large leasing transactions, including those associated with the withdrawal of foreign business from Russia; reduction of net interest margin caused by the outstripping growth of funding costs over the return on assets of the banking sector. The relevance of the research topic is traced in the need to develop measures to transform the interaction between Russian commercial banks and leasing companies in the context of geopolitical challenges, which will be aimed at improving the performance of credit organizations. For this purpose it is proposed to use additional sources of interest and commission income of commercial banks in financing leasing activities: increase in net interest margin by increasing the share of financing small and medium-sized businesses; increase in interest income due to accelerated reimbursement of value added tax (VAT); commission income from insurance business; attraction of small and medium-sized businesses in the regions of Russia, where Islamic traditions prevail in the country.Conclusions. Proposals and practical recommendations concerning qualitative transformation of interaction between banks and leasing companies, assuming the use of additional sources of interest and commission income of commercial banks in the financing of leasing activity, allows to solve the important problem of loss of income of banks in the conditions of geopolitical challenges.

HEALTH SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, DISASTER RESPONSE AND POLITICAL IDENTITIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

In this paper, we developed a model to assess the government’s disaster response during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring variations across jurisdictions dominated by different political identities in the United States. The model defines an individual’s payoff as a positive function of his/her income and the government’s disaster response. The individual is more prone to wear a mask if the government is more responsive to the disaster during the pandemic, and there can be a lower income loss for the individual during the pandemic when he/she has higher compliance to the government’s order of face mask. Utilizing this model, we derive the government’s disaster response to be positively correlated with the impact of COVID-19 deaths on masking behavior and negatively correlated with the change of the death toll relative to income. This allows us to evaluate the unobserved disaster response of the government explicitly using regression results. We compare the government’s disaster response across jurisdictions dominated by different political identities in the United States. The results highlight a more resilient disaster response in Democratic states, translating into superior health system performance compared to their Republican counterparts. These findings emphasize the crucial role of policies designed to strengthen disaster response, especially in addressing collective action problems such as those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crises.

Challenging the Philosophical Axis Enactment in the Sustainability of Malioboro Street Vendors’ Relocation

In enacting its "Philosophical Axis", the Government of Yogyakarta forged a significant policy thattransformed its relations with community members especially street vendors. Under this policy,street vendors were relocated from their previous locations to sites known as Teras 1 and Teras 2Malioboro. Although the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World HeritageConvention mandate the practice of sustainable development, street vendors—the economicbackbone of the Special Region of Yogyakarta—indicate that they have experienced a drastic loss ofincome due to accessibility issues. This research explores the impact of relocation on street vendors'income as well as short, medium, and long term plans for the new sites. Data were collected throughquestionnaires that were distributed to ninety respondents from Teras 1 and Teras 2, in-depthinterviews, and a review of the literature.

Labour market gender gaps in the time of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean

ABSTRACT The trend of declining gender gaps in labour market indicators in Latin America in previous decades did not change significantly in most countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, (i) women were harder hit in terms of employment losses during the 2020 shock; (ii) in 2021 they often remained less likely to work compared to 2019; and, (iii) in some countries the gender gap in employment rates widened. Accumulated income losses were larger for women in most cases. Women with lower education levels, aged 14–24, living in urban areas, and working in the tertiary sector were the most affected.

Coping with job loss: evidence from military base closures

AbstractWe examine how workers adjust in response to an unexpected job loss. Using the closure of military bases in Sweden, we find that displaced workers experience permanent income losses and immediately adjust along two main channels: regional and sector mobility. Displaced military workers are more likely to move to another municipality, start commuting, and change sectors. We also find that workers with mobility restrictions are less likely to change regions and they exhibit lower earnings in the longer run, a result that might help to explain some of the permanent income losses found in the literature.

Emerging Adult Mental Health During COVID: Exploring Relationships Between Discrete and Cumulative Individual and Contextual Stressors and Well-Being

PurposeIndicators of poor mental health increased during the COVID-19 pandemic among emerging adults aged 18–24 years, a group already at elevated risk. This study explores associations between contextual and personal stressors with symptoms of emerging adults’ anxiety and depression, assessing both multidimensional and distinct measures of stress. MethodsUsing Census Household Pulse Surveys from emerging adults aged 18 to 24 years (N = 71,885) and administrative data from April 23, 2020 to March 29, 2021, we estimated logistic regression models adjusted for state and wave fixed effects. ResultsRates of elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms rose dramatically among emerging adults during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicate that potential contextual stressors—state COVID-19 rates and state COVID-19 mitigation policies limiting social interactions (stay-at-home orders, restaurant closures, large gathering restrictions, and mask mandates)—were not significantly associated with symptoms. In contrast, personal economic stressors (nonemployment, household income loss, food insecurity, housing insecurity, lacking health insurance) and disruptions to education were associated significantly with elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms, with greater numbers of stressors associated with worse well-being. DiscussionEmerging adults reported persistently high levels of elevated anxiety and depressive symptoms during the first year of the pandemic, outcomes associated not with COVID-19 rates or mitigation policies, but with economic inequities, and other personal stressors heightened by the pandemic. Providing targeted support for young adults, including ensuring access to mental health supports, health care, and economic relief, is critical.

Susceptibility of Mangifera indica (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae) cultivars to fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in 2 agroecological zones of Cameroon.

The Sudano-Sahelian and the high Guinea savannahs agroecological zones of Cameroon are suitable for the full development of tree crops, including mango. Unfortunately, fresh fruits exported to local and international markets are frequently rejected due to the presence of fruit fly larvae (Diptera: Tephritidae), resulting in drastic income losses and overuse of chemical control products. To promote sustainable management strategies, a 2-yr study (2020-2021) was conducted in 4 and 3 mixed orchards, respectively. Attacked mangoes showing signs of fruit fly damage were collected and taken to the laboratory to rear and identify fruit flies. Repeated grafting and agroclimatic differences were responsible for dissimilarities between the 2 zones, with 18 and 16 cultivars, respectively. From 2,857 attacked mangoes, 26,707 fruit flies belonging to 4 species were identified: Bactrocera dorsalis, Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis fasciventris, and Ceratitis anonae. Climate change was the factor determining the distribution of the 2 most important mango fruit flies: B. dorsalis was a wetland species (dominance/occurrence > 70%), while C. cosyra was a dry-land species (dominance/occurrence > 75%). Both species were responsible for high levels of infestations. Bactrocera dorsalis preferred 3 mango cultivars, namely Palmer and Smith in Zone 1, and Ifack 1 in Zone 2 (infestation > 20 individuals/100g of mango). The host-plant spectrum of C. cosyra was modified by alternative host plants. Both C. fasciventris and C. anonae were rare. Findings from this study could guide researchers in the development of monitoring tools for fruit fly populations and, subsequently, in reducing the damage they cause to mangoes.

The consumption expenditure response to unemployment: Evidence from Norwegian households

This paper examines heterogeneity in household income and consumption responses to unemployment, using granular administrative tax data from Norway. On average, unemployment results in a significant, lasting income reduction, accompanied by a decrease in consumption expenditures of between one-third to one-half of the income loss. We find that households with greater liquid assets at the outset experience less of a decline in consumption, whereas those with higher levels of debt encounter a more substantial decrease. Notably, also the interaction of liquid assets and debt holdings matters for the consumption response. While households with larger initial liquid asset holdings on average respond less, the analyses show that this is not the case among households that simultaneously hold substantial amounts of debt, thus adding to a more nuanced view of the importance of household heterogeneity for economic outcomes. Furthermore, our investigation into heterogeneity across family composition and child age uncovers distinct patterns in consumption responses, highlighting the varied impacts of unemployment. Lastly, we find that spending patterns, as indicated by the marginal propensity to consume (MPC), become more pronounced during recessions.