Regional Inequality Research Articles

Introduction: Regional inequality and political discontent in Europe

ABSTRACT What is the relationship between regional inequality and political discontent in Europe? This special issue addresses this question by studying the influence of the subnational context. Specifically, it examines the impact of unequal social conditions and economic growth on political discontent with national and international politics, as expressed in political behaviour, public opinion and policy preferences. This introduction outlines a research agenda that establishes the context of the special issue. It explains the key concepts of interest, summarises significant empirical trends, outlines explanatory models and discusses methodological challenges. In addition to establishing the research agenda that serves as the analytical framework, this introduction also presents the core findings of the special issue and discusses broader implications for future research and practice.

Addressing Maternal Perinatal Mortality: State Responsibility in Primary Health Care in Perú

Using data from the Comprehensive Health Insurance, this study examined Primary Health Care (PHC) and disparities in maternal-perinatal health in Peru. Its primary goal was to assess how PHC affected the decline in high and persistent maternal and perinatal mortality. The investigation also encompassed regional inequities and unequal access to health services. The study used a technique that integrated a qualitative approach, a review of scientific literature, and data analysis. It made clear how crucial it is to address inequality characteristics such as sociocultural accessibility, geographic, and economic in order to enhance care in the nation. The findings demonstrate the necessity of resolving these disparities in order to improve prenatal and maternal care. The present study offers a robust basis for subsequent inquiries and the development of evidence-based health policies. The Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables (2021) recommended changes in health policy, which this study supports in order to enhance the health of vulnerable people and reduce inequities in access to maternal-perinatal care. The study also highlights the critical necessity of PHC in Peru. Its primary contributions are to deepen our understanding of disparities in obstetric treatment and to set the stage for future studies and national health policy.

Closing the North–South divide, for good

Productivity is key to the regional inequalities in the UK. Following work published last year by Metro Dynamics1 on Greater Manchester, this paper seeks to understand productivity trends in neighbouring regions which have also managed to start to close the productivity gap in the decade to 2020. The paper also unpacks the differences in productivity trends within the North of England’s various economic sub-regions.

Levelling Up: Challenges and Opportunities in Addressing Regional Inequality

Levelling Up: Challenges and Opportunities in Addressing Regional Inequality

The attitudes of general practices towards clinical research.

During the financial year 2021/2022, the PANORAMIC study utilised the primary care setting to provide vital research into oral antivirals for COVID-19, recruiting more than 26 000 participants. Alongside the relentless work conducted by practices in supporting vaccine research, the number of GPs recruiting to National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) portfolio studies in England remains consistently around 45% year on year despite the support offered by the NIHR. This figure varies across regions, falling to 23% in Greater Manchester, and rising to 95% in Northwest London, in 2022/2023. These figures suggest a regional inequality in access to potentially life-changing research from primary care providers. To identify the barriers and challenges facing practices that reduce their likelihood of engaging in clinical research, as well as potential incentives and motivators that would support or encourage them to take part. Various factors must be considered as contributing to these figures, such as funding, regional deprivation, and the workload and workforce crisis; however, very little literature exists regarding GPs' attitudes towards research that is backed by data. To address this, a series of online and face-to-face data collection activities will take place, in Greater Manchester, and later from a sample of the GPs across all NIHR regions. Data collection to begin summer 2024. Knowledge gained from these activities will help inform researchers and research organisations, such as the NIHR, to provide support and opportunities for GPs across England, ensuring that more of the population has access to clinical research opportunities through their GP.

Measuring regional inequality using nightlight satellite data and population density for Nigeria

Measuring regional inequality using nightlight satellite data and population density for Nigeria

Promoting the Achievement of Carbon Neutrality Targets: Systematic Review of Research Dimensions and Measure Methods on Carbon Equity in China.

Carbon equity is the balance between carbon reduction responsibilities and development rights. The review of carbon equity in China can help it achieve carbon neutrality targets and provide valuable insights to other emerging countries. This study aimed to systematically sort, classify, compare, and prospect the research dimensions and measure methods for carbon equity. The research dimensions were first classified into intergenerational, regional, trade, and income carbon equity by literature analysis. Intergenerational carbon equity explores the balance of carbon emission rights among generations using integrated assessment models (IAM). Regional carbon equity analyzes the socioeconomic effect of regional carbon emission rights allocation by IAM or regional differences under a specific allocation assumption by the Theil index. Trade carbon equity studies the relationship between carbon emissions and economic benefit transfer embodied in inter-regional trade, which is more suitable for calculating by methods with comparable results, such as the optimized regional environmental inequality index. Income carbon equity investigates the carbon footprint heterogeneity among income groups by the carbon Gini coefficient. This paper further discusses potential research directions for each dimension. Notably, all research dimensions did not consider promoted strategies for carbon equity, which should be a priority for future studies.

Contemporary Slavery and Inequality in Brazil Pureza’s Complaint and Struggle

This article briefly presents the feature film Pureza, which is based on a true story, to help analyse the contemporary forms of slavery in Brazil that reveal the permanent movements of capital expropriation, noticeable in the exploitation and oppression of a race-based labour force characterized by patriarchy, that migrates in order to survive. In this sense, we examine regional inequalities, social polarization and the particular aspects of the Brazilian social formation for the discussion of contemporary slavery, which is seen as the most visible expression of superexploitation, as well as the result of the reinvention of hybrid forms of exploitation of the labour force.

Infrastructure Development and Regional Disparities

This paper delves into the intricate relationship between infrastructure development and regional disparities. Recognizing the pivotal role of infrastructure in catalyzing economic growth, this study investigates how uneven distribution and accessibility to infrastructure can exacerbate existing regional inequalities. Through an exploration of challenges and opportunities, the paper underscores the need for strategic planning and inclusive policies to ensure equitable infrastructure development. The research provides valuable insights for policymakers seeking to bridge the gap between urban and rural areas, fostering a more balanced and sustainable trajectory of development. As nations globally prioritize infrastructure investments, understanding and addressing regional disparities become imperative for fostering inclusive and resilient societies. Keywords: infrastructure development, economic growth, regional disparities

Regional Disparities in Prehospital Delay of Acute Ischemic Stroke: The Korean Stroke Registry.

Late hospital arrival keeps patients with stroke from receiving recanalization therapy and is associated with poor outcomes. This study used a nationwide acute stroke registry to investigate the trends and regional disparities in prehospital delay and analyze the significant factors associated with late arrivals. Patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack between January 2012 and December 2021 were included. The prehospital delay was identified, and its regional disparity was evaluated using the Gini coefficient for nine administrative regions. Multivariate models were used to identify factors significantly associated with prehospital delays of >4.5 h. A total of 144,014 patients from 61 hospitals were included. The median prehospital delay was 460 min (interquartile range, 116-1912), and only 36.8% of patients arrived at hospitals within 4.5 h. Long prehospital delays and high regional inequality (Gini coefficient > 0.3) persisted throughout the observation period. After adjusting for confounders, age > 65 years old (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-1.27), female sex (aOR = 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05-1.13), hypertension (aOR = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.08-1.16), diabetes mellitus (aOR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.33-1.43), smoking (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI, 1.11-1.20), premorbid disability (aOR = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.37-1.52), and mild stroke severity (aOR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.50-1.61) were found to independently predict prehospital delays of >4.5 h. Prehospital delays were lengthy and had not improved in Korea, and there was a high regional disparity. To overcome these inequalities, a deeper understanding of regional characteristics and further research is warranted to address the vulnerabilities identified.

Analysis of Economic Growth, Regional Inequality and Poverty Levels among Provinces on The Island of Kalimantan

The economic growth of a region is reflected in GDP and GRDP. It is important to achieve economic growth and economic equality so that prosperity increases evenly. Economic inequality can cause social problems and risk regional disintegration. Even though high economic growth can occur, it does not always mean that people's welfare increases automatically, especially for the poor. Differences in development and infrastructure between regions also affect people's income. This research aims to examine the economic situation, regional inequality and poverty levels in Kalimantan Province. It is hoped that the results of this research will provide useful information for local governments in future policy making. This research is descriptive in nature and uses a qualitative approach to understand social phenomena through secondary data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and related regional institutions. Economic growth in Kalimantan province experienced fluctuations during the 2014-2023 period. Although there are annual variations, in general there is an upward trend after 2020. The Williamson Index in Kalimantan province experienced small variations from year to year during the 2014-2023 period. The poverty level in Kalimantan province tends to vary from year to year during the 2014-2023 period.

Inovasi Perekonomian Digital dalam mengatasi Disparitas Regional Strategi Baru dalam Kebijakan Perekonomian di Indonesia

This research explores a new approach in Indonesia's economic strategy that specifically prioritizes digital economic innovation as a tool to address regional inequality. The background to the problem highlights the gaps in economic development in various regions in Indonesia and the importance of economic transformation through the use of digital technology. The literature study in this research presents a conceptual framework that describes the relationship between digital economic innovation, economic policy, and efforts to mitigate regional imbalances. The research process involved secondary data analysis, surveys, and interviews with relevant stakeholders. The research results show that the integration of digital economic innovation in economic policy has the potential to reduce regional imbalances by accelerating economic growth, creating job opportunities, and supporting market penetration for local companies. Conclusion, This research makes an important contribution to the development of future-oriented, data-based and technology-focused policies to address regional inequality, accelerate equitable economic growth and improve the welfare of the Indonesian population. Keywords: Regional Disparity, Economy, Digital Economy

The impact of inflation on inequality in the CEMAC and UEMOA zones of Sub‐Saharan Africa

AbstractThis paper explores the impact of inflation on income inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa, over the period from 1997 to 2019. The Bayesian model averaging method, à la De Luca and Magnus (2011), is employed to empirically support the main conclusions. The main finding highlights that inflation has an asymmetrical impact on inequality in the Sub‐Saharan African (SSA) region, diminishing income disparities among the wealthy while exacerbating them among the impoverished. The results are sensitive to the economic characteristics of the country as well as the level of income brackets. Education, health expenditures, size of agriculture, economic development and control of corruption play pivotal roles in modelling the relationship between inflation and income inequality in the SSA region. Social safety net programs, monetary policies aimed at addressing inflation, investments in education, fostering inclusive economic growth, enhancing access to financial services for the impoverished, reforms to advance land rights and promoting regional cooperation should be the primary policy objectives for SSA countries.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Social Responsibility and Geopolitics Influences on Sports Sponsorship

Through bibliometric analysis, this study offers a thorough investigation of the connection between geopolitics, sports sponsorship, and social responsibility. We investigate the degree of unhealthy sponsorship in junior community sports teams, taking into account policy implications, public health issues, and regional and socioeconomic inequities. We used a multidisciplinary approach, gathering relevant papers using bibliometric analysis and conducting a literature review to assess the state of the field. While qualitative approaches were utilized to look into public opinion, quantitative techniques were applied to examine data on sponsorship agreements. We also looked at the laws and policies that are in place right now regarding sports sponsorship. Legislative adjustments are necessary to lessen the negative consequences of geopolitics on public health and social responsibility, as our synthesis and interpretation of the data show.

Economic complexity and income inequality in Russian regions

Although economic growth leads to a reduction in poverty, the growing income inequality and its possible consequences are of some concern. The level of economic complexity has recently been increasingly viewed as an important predictor of income inequality. In this paper, using pool and models with time fixed effects, the impact of the economic complexity index on income inequality in Russian regions for 2013 and 2015 was estimated. The results of the evaluation of econometric models show that regions with more complex economies showed a higher level of income inequality compared to others. The explanations for the effect obtained include an increase in demand for highly qualified labor as a result of the development of high-tech industries and an increase in wage differentiation between high-skilled and low-skilled workers, as well as the migration of high-skilled workers to economically more complex regions. The main conclusion is that economic complexity is a significant factor of the variation in income inequality and should also be taken into account while conducting economic and social policy in Russian regions.

Tele-connecting regional carbon inequality in China to global consumers

Global trade may lead to unequal distribution of CO2 emissions and economic benefits among countries. While regional carbon inequality within a country driven by specific foreign consumers is rarely discussed. Taking China as an example, this study constructed a nested MRIO table to trace the CO2 emissions & value-added flows between each province of China (30 in total) and 18 other countries/regions, and measured the provincial carbon inequality based on emission terms of trade (ETT), emission-value (EV), carbon-Gini coefficient indicators triggered by these global consumers. Here we show that most provinces are net emission exporters and almost half of China's provinces suffered both environmental and economic losses in international trade. What is worse, it triggered severe regional imbalance of emissions and economic gains within China. The less developed western provinces with high emission intensity are always at a disadvantage in international trade, but some eastern provinces are on the favorable side. The consumption of the EU caused the most severe carbon inequality among provinces. These findings provide further information to relieve trade-induced carbon inequality at a refined scale and give inspiration to build more equitable trading mechanisms globally.

The future of regional inequalities: an ARIMA forecast

The future of regional inequalities: an ARIMA forecast

Temporal-spatial evolution of environmental inequality of embodied energy transfer within inter-provincial trade of China

Reducing embodied energy inequality is the key to achieve sustainable development. However, research on the spatial-temporal impacts of embodied energy transfer within inter-provincial trade and regional energy inequality is insufficient. Taking the embodied energy inequality of China as the research object, this research establishes the environmentally extended multi-regional input-output model, traces the transfer path of embodied energy and value-added along the national supply chain, and calculates the embodied energy inequality using the regional environmental inequality index. The results show that the developed eastern coastal provinces mainly outsourced the consumption-based embodied energy to the developing regions, such as the northern provinces. Among them, S3 and S4 were the key sectors responsible for embodied energy consumption. Furthermore, when the developed regions traded with the developing regions, the value-added brought by their final demand was mainly retained locally. Some developing regions suffered double losses of embodied energy and value-added, leading to embodied energy inequality. From 2012 to 2017, China's inter-provincial trade witnessed a slight increase in the degree of embodied energy inequality. This study helps to understand the mismatch between domestic environmental burden and economic benefits from the perspective of inter-provincial trade, and provides a decision-making basis for realizing regional equity.

The effect of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution on health inequality: an intergenerational perspective.

Air pollution poses a serious challenge to public health and simultaneously exacerbating regional & intergenerational health inequality. This research introduces PM2.5 pollution into the intergenerational health transmission model, and estimates its impact on health inequality in China using Ordered Logit Regression (OLR) and Multi-scale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) model. The results indicate that PM2.5 pollution exacerbate the intergenerational health inequality, and its impacts show inconsistency across family income levels, parental health insurance status, and area of residence. Specifically, it is more difficult for offspring in low-income families to escape from the influence of unhealthy family to become upwardly mobile. Additionally, this health inequality is more significant in households in which at least one parent does not have health insurance. Moreover, the intergenerational solidification caused by PM2.5 pollution is higher in the east and lower in the west. Both the PM2.5 level and solidification effect are high in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Yangtze River Delta region and central areas of China, which is the focus of air pollution management. These findings suggest that more emphasis should be placed on family-based health promotion. In areas with high PM2.5 pollution levels, resources, subsidies and air pollution protection should be provided for less healthy families with lower incomes and no health insurance.

‘One central purpose’? Tracking the Evolution of Strategic Approaches to Economic Development in Scotland

The Scottish Government’s latest economic strategy aims for a ‘transformation’ of the Scottish economy, with higher levels of aggregate economic performance combined with greater equality, reduced poverty and environmental sustainability. In doing so it echoes similar ambitions expressed in Scottish economic development strategies since devolution in 1999. This article provides a contextual analysis of the strategic approaches to economic development pursued by successive administrations and the institutional arrangements to deliver them. In particular, it provides an account of how ‘economic development’ and its aims have been understood, the shifting balance between a prioritization of growth and distributional concerns, and the attention given to questions of geographically uneven development within Scotland. While there is a degree of continuity across these strategies, the trend has been towards a broadening set of aims around the economy, influenced by growing international interest in looking beyond GDP, concern about regional inequality and a need to reduce carbon emissions. Overall, however, these shifts have not yet marked a radical departure from the traditional underlying goal of seeking increased economic growth at the national level.