Reduction Of Inequalities Research Articles

An Exploration on Success and Failure of Cooperatives and Microfinance

Cooperatives and microfinances are regarded as a vehicle of development. The history of cooperatives and microfinance development is relatively short which dates back to the 1970s. With the assistance of cooperatives and microfinances, households can expand opportunities for income generation. Small size of loan, group savings, small-scale entrepreneurs, diversified utilization and simple and flexible terms and conditions on credit are the determining characteristics of microfinance and cooperatives. Basically this study is based on the review of past studies and research documents and has tried to collect detail information regarding the history, success and failure of microfinance and cooperatives. It covers the information of advanced countries as well as developing countries like Nepal. In course of research, the study found that cooperatives and microfinance have contributed too many households including backward people, women and marginalized groups. It has assisted to poverty eradication, inequality reduction, women empowerment, unemployment reduction which all result to economic development. These outcomes lead to the success of cooperatives and microfinance whereas public policy issues, fraud of the management team, lack of accountability, unproductive use of cooperatives and microfinance lead towards its failure. On the basis of the findings, it can be concluded that there is rapidly expanding number and size of cooperatives and microfinance institutions in many parts of the world, and in course of time these are moving towards commercial sector rather than being oriented to backward people.

How energy transition and fintech influence income inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from a panel-corrected standard error approach

This study explores the role of financial technology (FinTech) and the energy transition in shaping income inequality across 45 sub-Saharan African economies (SSA). By employing the panel-corrected standard errors approach, the analysis takes into account contextual and institutional factors, as well as regional specificities, for the period extending from 2000 to 2021. This research elucidates the connections among energy transition, FinTech, and income inequality, emphasizing their significance for economic progress and clean energy access. The findings reveal significant inequality in the outcomes of SSA countries, with an average Gini index of 43.197, indicating that most countries are unequal. This study reveals a notable connection between transitioning to renewable energy sources and a reduction in income inequality, with a one-unit increase in the energy transition indicator resulting in a 5.10% decrease in inequality. Moreover, FinTech is also found to contribute to a reduction in income inequality, with a 1.31% decrease observed for every unit increase in the FinTech indicator. The analysis also revealed a weak, yet statistically significant, link between population density and income inequality, with a one-unit increase in inequality of 0.00632%. Notably, industrial value added is found to be an influential factor with a statistically significant coefficient of 0.129. The key implications of the study emphasize the importance of redistributive policies, financial inclusion, and the promotion of renewable energy sources in constructing more inclusive economic systems. Furthermore, the study underscores the significant value of accurate energy production prediction for informed decision-making in energy planning and policy-making on regional and global scales.

To what extent could eliminating racial discrimination reduce inequities in mental health and sleep problems among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children? A causal mediation study

BackgroundRacism is a fundamental cause of health inequities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. We estimated the potential reduction in inequities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s mental health and sleep problems if interpersonal racial discrimination was eliminated. MethodsWe drew on cross-sectional data from the Speak Out Against Racism (SOAR; N=2818) and longitudinal data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC; N=8627). The SOAR was completed in 2017 and the LSAC followed children from 2004 to 2014 in the kindergarten cohort and from 2008 to 2018 in the birth cohort. Exposure: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander/Anglo-European), a proxy measure of structural racism (SOAR: 10-15 years; LSAC: 4-5 years); Mediator: interpersonal racial discrimination (yes/no) (SOAR: 10-15 years; LSAC: 12-13 years); Outcomes: mental health problems (yes/no) and sleep problems (yes/no) (SOAR: 10-15 years; LSAC: 14-15 years). An interventional effects causal mediation approach was used. FindingsAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children had higher prevalence of mental health problems (SOAR: 40·1% versus 13·5%; LSAC: 25·3% versus 7·6%) and sleep problems (SOAR: 28·5% versus 18·4%; LSAC: 14·0% versus 9·9%) than Anglo-European children. Hypothetical interventions eliminating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s experiences of interpersonal racial discrimination could reduce 42·4% and 48·5% of mental health and sleep inequities in SOAR (equivalent to 11·2% and 4·7% absolute reductions) and 25·6% and 1·6% of mental health and sleep inequities in LSAC (equivalent to 5·5% and 0·1% absolute reductions). Absolute remaining inequities were similar across both studies for both outcomes. InterpretationTargeted policy interventions that eliminate racial discrimination against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children could have high potential to reduce inequities in mental health and sleep problems. Addressing racism and racial discrimination needs a multi-component and multi-level approach directed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.Funding: National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and Medical Research Future Fund of Australia

Nurturing the Capabilities to Aspire, Voice and Realise Aspirations: A Theoretical Analysis of the Transformative Potential of the National Health Service in England

ABSTRACT This article contributes to understanding the transformative potential of institutions, such as the National Health Service in England (NHS), to engage those they serve, nurturing their aspirations and capabilities to support human flourishing. In pursuing a “fully engaged” scenario as described by Derek Wanless in Securing our Future Health (2002), an argument is made for nurturing the capabilities to aspire, voice and realise aspirations. The fully engaged scenario aspires towards higher levels of public engagement in relation to individual and community health and wellbeing; more efficient use of resources; overall improvements in health outcomes and a reduction in health inequalities. The discussion offers a critical evaluation of the recent emergence of a personalised care approach in the NHS in England, and specifically the role of Health and Wellbeing Coaches, in supporting this endeavour. Core capability and aspiration concepts are explicated to develop a conceptual framework to appraise the transformational potential of personalised care approaches in the NHS in England. The ensuing analysis is especially relevant as the recently elected Labour government prepares for a new ten-year plan for NHS reformation.

For a sustainable education in Brazilian Library Science

The study starts from the global goals of inequality reduction and legal frameworks towards people with disabilities to evaluate curricular components and institutional guidance of active undergraduate courses in Library Science in the southeast area of Brazil. This study, which is of an applied nature, aims to investigate if and how universities offer education oriented to qualification in and towards diversity. The empirical field consists of 22 (twenty-two) courses certified by the Ministry of Education of the Federal Government of Brazil. Once these courses were submitted to documental analysis, we located 13 (thirteen) political-pedagogic projects and 9 (nine) summarized course syllabi to execute the exploratory reading based on keywords related to the inclusion domain and later definition of analytical categories. The reading, analysis, and critical interpretation regarding the results show significant gaps in the librarian education about diversity. Disregarding the predominance of optional courses on Brazilian Sign Language (Libras), the undergraduate courses of the investigated area as an empirical field of this study fail to present, satisfactorily, components or specific objectives aimed toward the learning process of people with disabilities.

On the relationship between air connectivity and economic development: A comparative analysis of inequality evolution for 2000–2019

Throughout the past decades, aviation has experienced a tremendous growth of passenger and cargo demand. This growth may come with problems however, when considering the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations in 2015, particularly those related to the sustainable and fair use of resources and reduction of inequalities among countries. This study discusses the air connectivity inequalities of countries from various perspectives, covering topology-based and schedule-based connectivity indicators. We focus on the connectivity changes of countries between the years 2000 and 2019, i.e., before the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicate that our aviation system is dominated by a few highly-developed countries in Western Europe and Northern America. While this dominance is gradually weakened, mainly due to the emergence of aviation hubs in the Middle East and the role of China as a hub in Asia, there need to be more efforts towards a homogeneous aviation infrastructure. Moreover, the flight connectivity between countries appears to be correlated to the Human Development Index growth value, but not significantly correlated with the potential travel demand between countries. Finally, detailed analysis on network-induced inequalities of connectivity reveal that countries are most unequally distributed concerning betweenness centrality but most equally according to closeness centrality. We believe that our study contributes towards a better understanding of sustainable aviation planning and raises important policy issues concerning the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

Human capital investments and income inequality in Nigeria: Does institutional quality matter?

The study examines the impact of human capital and institutional quality on income inequality from 1990 to 2021. This study adopts the Kuznets model as its theoretical framework. The unit root test revealed a mixed stationary in the variables which prompts the choice of Autoregressive Distributed Lag of which its bound test result shows that there is a cointegration in the variables. The long-run results show that government expenditure on education, government expenditure on health, government effectiveness, and domestic credit to the private sector have a positive but not significant effect on income inequality while in the short-run, government effectiveness and domestic credit to the private sector have a positive but not significant impact on income inequality. Moreover, only government expenditure on education affects income inequality in the Nigerian economy positively and significantly. Based on the findings revealed, the study recommends that the government should by all means and economic resources increase the budget of human capital to enhance the reduction of income inequality in the country and place more emphasis on providing education grants and incentives that encourage the reduction of brain drain.

Income inequalities in maternal health-care service utilization in India: Applying the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition method

Maternal health-care service (MHCS) utilization is a crucial indicator of a country’s progress in protecting the health and well-being of its women and children. This paper examines trends, patterns, determinants, and disparities in MHCS utilization between the poorest and richest women in India’s Empowered Action Group. The study used data from the second (1998 – 1999), third (2005 – 2006), fourth (2015 – 2016), and fifth (2019 – 2021) rounds of the National Family Health Survey. A logistic regression model was applied to assess MHCS utilization, and the Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition method (BODM) was used to explain inequalities in utilization between the poorest and richest women. The findings indicate that MHCS utilization has increased over the years among both groups. However, the utilization rate is higher among the poorest women. Furthermore, rural women are less likely to utilize MHCS compared to urban women. Key determinants include women’s education, their partners’ education, mass media exposure (MME), and women’s empowerment. The BODM results show that although MHCS utilization has increased among both groups, inequalities persist, largely explained by coefficient effects. A trend analysis reveals a reduction in discrimination between the poorest and richest women over time. Women’s education, MME, and autonomy are the key factors driving the reduction of inequalities. There is a need for comprehensive strategies to enhance education among disadvantaged women, increase MME, and promote health awareness. The government should empower women through incentives, such as cash benefits, to ensure higher MHCS utilization among poorer women.

Analysis of green technology usage and inequality reduction related to climate change adaptation

The purpose of this study is to analyze issues related to the use of green technology and to provide a theoretical basis for how the application of green technology in agriculture can reduce inequality. Additionally, the study aims to explore policy alternatives based on the analysis of inequality reduction issues through farmer surveys. For this purpose, this study used survey data to analyze farmers’ perceptions, acceptance status, willingness to accept green technology, and perceptions of inequality. The quantitative analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between the acceptance of green technology and perceptions of inequality. The results confirmed that access to information, perception of climate change, and awareness of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are major factors. In particular, the higher the satisfaction with policies regarding the introduction of green technology, the lower the perception of inequality. Specifically, the acceptance of green technology showed a significant positive correlation with access to information, perception of climate change, and awareness of the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while perceptions of inequality showed a significant negative correlation with policy satisfaction. In conclusion, green technology in agriculture is vital for reducing climate change damage and inequality. However, targeted policy support for small-scale farmers is essential for successful adoption. This study provides policy implications related to the application of green technology in the agricultural sector, which can promote sustainable agricultural development.

Fighting Inequality Through a Progressive Tax System for a Just Future in Tanzania

The problem of inequality is one of the economic problems that developing countries still face including Tanzania. This research therefore focuses on presenting the status and trends of inequality and the progressive tax system to pay for a just future in Tanzania. Research was anchored on the Ability-to-Pay Principle. The study was typically a desk research whereby it dwelled on analyzing and synthesizing large amounts of complex secondary data/information and literature concerning the issue of inequality in Tanzania. The target population for this study consists of secondary data sources, which included Peer-reviewed journal articles on taxation and inequality Government reports and taxation data from the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA). A purposive sampling methodology was employed to choose relevant studies and reports. This approach ascertained that only sources directly related to the research goals were included. The sample consisted of 20 sources, selected based on criteria such as: Year of publication. Content analysis was adopted in analyzing data to discover themes, patterns and trends related to progressive tax systems, income inequality reduction, and wealth distribution. Key variables such as tax policies, inequality measures (Gini coefficient), and wealth distribution patterns were extracted and analyzed to determine the effectiveness of progressive taxation in Tanzania. Findings revealed that while progressive taxes can be a remedy, the presence of large informal sectors, as in Tanzania, hinder their reach. Thus, while Tanzania’s progressive tax structure holds potential, more reforms are in need to boost implementation alongside widening the tax base. Further, the study concluded that there is little wealth-related taxation in Tanzania. Also, assets such as land ownership or financial assets are hardly/not taxed. The study recommended that given the situation, there is a great need to improve the tax collection with a focus on the existing tax base in Tanzania.

Social Inequalities in Colombia: An Analysis from a Cultural and Social Perspective

The objective of this article was to analyze inequalities in Colombia using a strategic prospective approach to identify the social, economic and cultural dynamics that prolong such asymmetries and propose actions to reduce these gaps. The methodology employed is based on the use of advanced prospective analysis tools, such as influence matrices and variable mobility diagrams, in addition to the identification of key actors involved in the formulation and execution of public policies. The results point to the complexity of the interactions between critical variables such as access to technologies, gender equity and youth participation in employment; likewise, the study showed that certain actors, such as the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Equality and Equity, have a significant influence on the achievement of objectives that seek to mitigate social inequalities in Colombia. The study concludes the need to work on public policies for social and economic development, but with an approach based on education and changes in cultural patterns in society that allow the gradual reduction of inequalities. The discussion points out that through strategic collaboration among diverse actors and a comprehensive approach, progress can be made towards a sustained reduction of inequalities, promoting a more equitable and inclusive development in Colombian society.

Políticas públicas: O papel do Programa Saúde na Escola (PSE) como ferramenta para a integração entre saúde e educação

This research analyzed the School Health Program (PSE) as a tool for the integration between health and education, highlighting its importance and impact on the integral development of students. The objective was to evaluate how the PSE articulates the health and education networks to improve the quality of life and school performance of children and adolescents. A bibliographic research methodology was used, with a survey of articles on the SciELO, Web Of Science and Google Scholar platforms. The results showed that the PSE promotes an effective intersectoral approach, offering preventive and health promotion actions in schools, such as vaccination, visual screening, physical exercises, and educational campaigns. The analysis revealed that the program contributes to the reduction of social inequalities and improves the school environment by integrating health into the educational process. The conclusion reaffirms that the PSE is an innovative and essential strategy, as it combines health care and teaching to prepare students for academic and social challenges, demonstrating the effectiveness of public policies that promote intersectoral integration and the balanced development of the new generations.

GIS-based assessment of spatial and temporal disparities of urban health index in Shenzhen, China.

To explore the inter-regional health index at the city level to contribute to the reduction of health inequalities. Employed the health determinant model to select indicators for the urban health index of Shenzhen City. Utilized principal component analysis, the weights of these indicators are determined to construct the said health index. Subsequently, the global Moran's index and local Moran's index are utilized to investigate the geographical spatial distribution of the urban health index across various administrative districts within Shenzhen. The level of urban health index in Shenzhen exhibits spatial clustering and demonstrates a positive spatial correlation (2017, Moran's I = 0.237; 2019, Moran's I = 0.226; 2021, Moran's I = 0.217). However, it is noted that this clustering displays a relatively low probability (90% confidence interval). Over the period from 2017 to 2019, this spatial clustering gradually diminishes, suggesting a narrowing of health inequality within economically developed urban areas. Our study reveals the urban health index in a relatively high-income (Shenzhen) in a developing country. Certain spatially correlated areas in Shenzhen present opportunities for the government to address health disparities through regional connectivity.

Distributional equity impacts of automated vehicles: A disaggregated approach

Better understanding of the equity impacts of automated vehicles (AV) is needed to design equitable deployment plans for AV technology. The goal of this study was to develop and demonstrate a modeling framework to support distributional equity assessments of AV systems prior to their wide adoption. This modeling framework takes a disaggregated approach that integrates agent-based simulation, diverse transportation outcomes, and equity analyses. The framework uses individual-level data to capture detailed disparities in transportation outcomes, applies a state-of-the-art multi-agent traffic simulation model (MATSim) to simulate privately-owned and shared AVs simultaneously, and considers distributional equity from multiple perspectives. To test and demonstrate the framework, a case study was conducted for the Tampa Bay region. Five scenarios were considered with different AV market shares and integration strategies based on scenario planning by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. Results reveal that high AV penetration rates were required for substantial reductions in inequality. The introduction of AVs led to a more even distribution of accessibility, but slightly more uneven distribution of traditional mobility and affordability. Impacts of disparities in outcomes for disadvantaged groups were mixed. These results suggest that AVs will likely perpetuate existing inequity in the transportation system as long as its fundamental structure remains the same as today. Results highlight the importance of planning and design strategies that directly address the distributional impacts to ensure that AV technology is deployed equitably.

THE ROLE OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY IN SOCIETY AND THEIR IMPACT ON MEDICINE

Justice and equality play a central role in the development of a just and sustainable society. This article examines their role in the field of healthcare and their impact on the availability and quality of medical care. Various aspects of equity in medicine are analyzed, such as equal access to healthcare for all citizens, adequate allocation of medical resources and reduction of inequality in access to medical care. Measures and policies aimed at achieving a more equitable and equitable health care system are being considered, including the development of social protection programs, and improving the availability and quality of medical care for marginalized groups. As a result, the article emphasizes the need to create a fair healthcare system where every citizen has equal opportunities to receive the necessary medical care, regardless of their status and circumstances.

Closing the gap? Results-based financing and socio-economic-related inequalities in maternal health outcomes in Zimbabwe.

The results-based financing (RBF) programme, first implemented in Zimbabwe in 2011 and gradually expanded to other districts, aimed to address disparities in maternal health outcomes by improving the utilization of health services. This study leverages the staggered rollout of the programme as a quasi-experimental design to assess its impact on asset wealth-related inequalities in selected maternal health outcomes. The objective is to determine whether RBF can effectively reduce these disparities and promote equitable healthcare access. We employ an extended two-way fixed effects (ETWFE) model to exploit temporal variation in RBF implementation as well as individual-level variation in birth timing for identification. Utilizing pooled cross-sectional and nationally representative data from the Zimbabwe demographic and health surveys collected between 1999 and 2015, our analysis reveals significant reductions in relative and absolute maternal health inequalities, especially in the frequency and timing of prenatal care, delivery by caesarean section and family planning. Specifically, the RBF programme is associated with reductions in disparities for completing at least four or more prenatal care visits (-0.026, P < 0.01), first-trimester prenatal care (-0.033, P < 0.01), delivery by caesarean section (-0.028, P < 0.005) and family planning (-0.033, P < 0.005). Additionally, the programme is associated with improved prenatal care quality, as evidenced by progress on the prenatal care quality index (-0.040, P < 0.01). These effects are more pronounced among lower socio-economic groups in RBF districts, highlighting RBF's potential to promote equitable healthcare access. Our findings advocate for targeted policy interventions prioritizing expanding access to critical maternal health services in underserved areas and incorporating equity-focused measures within RBF frameworks to ensure inclusive and effective healthcare delivery in Zimbabwe and other low-income countries.

International trade and wage inequality: Evidence from Brazil

We study the effect of the bilateral trade integration with China on wage inequality in Brazil. Previous studies have documented the contribution of trade opening to the decline in inequality since the 1990s, driven primarily by cross-firm pay differences. We find a sharper reduction in wage inequality over the 2000s, parallel to China’s accession to the WTO. Our analysis of the China shock suggests that some firms are harmed by import competition, especially those in the High-Tech Manufacturing sector, while others profit from increased exports and cheaper inputs. We rationalize these patterns by extending the theoretical framework of Helpman et al. (2017) to include sector heterogeneity in trade exposure and firm-level selection into imports. Our model indicates that the rise of China led to a reduction in cross-firm wage inequality in Brazil by about 5%.

Left Governmental Power and the Reduction of Inequalities in Western Europe (1871–2020)

Despite considerable attention in the literature, existing studies analyzing the effect of left governmental power on inequalities suffer from three main limitations: a privileged focus on economic forms of inequality at the expense of political and social ones, inaccurate measurements of left governmental power, and the analyses’ narrow time spans. This article addresses such concerns through a comparative longitudinal analysis where the impact of left governmental power on different measures of political, social, and economic inequalities is investigated in 20 Western European countries across the last 150 years. Data show that, consistent with previous literature, the Left in government has significantly reduced most forms of inequalities. However, the equalizing effect of the Left in government has decreased over time and has become not significant since the 1980s. The Left is today incapable of accomplishing its historical mission of reducing inequalities. The article discusses the rationale and implications of these findings.

Decision-makers self-servingly navigate the equality-efficiency trade-off of free partner choice in social dilemmas among unequals

Cooperation is more likely upheld when individuals can choose their interaction partner. However, when individuals differ in their endowment or ability to cooperate, free partner choice can lead to segregation and increase inequality. To understand how decision-makers can decrease such inequality, we conducted an incentivized and preregistered experiment in which participants (n=500) differed in their endowment and cooperation productivity. First, we investigated how these individual differences impacted cooperation and inequality under free partner choice in a public goods game. Next, we calculated if and how decision-makers should restrict partner choice if their goal is to decrease inequality. Finally, we studied whether decision-makers actually did decrease inequality when asked to allocate endowment and productivity factors between individuals, and combine individuals into pairs of interaction partners for a two-player public goods game. Our results show that without interventions, free partner choice, indeed, leads to segregation and increases inequality. To mitigate such inequality, decision-makers should curb free partner choice and force individuals who were assigned different endowments and productivities to form pairs with each other. However, this comes at the cost of lower overall cooperation and earnings, showing that the restriction of partner choice results in an equality-efficiency trade-off. Participants who acted as third-parties were actually more likely to prioritize inequality reduction over efficiency maximization, by forcing individuals with unequal endowment and productivity levels to form pairs with each other. However, decision-makers who had a ‘stake in the game’ self-servingly navigated the equality-efficiency trade-off by preferring partner choice interventions that benefited themselves. These preferences were partly explained by norms on public good cooperation and redistribution, and participants’ social preferences. Results reveal potential conflicts on how to govern free partner choice stemming from diverging preferences ‘among unequals’.

Improving Medical and Surgical Care: A Qualitative Study of Medical Students' Experience With Language Barriers in Healthcare.

Objective This study aims to investigate the experiences of medical students in teaching and practice concerning communication with patients exhibiting limited English proficiency (LEP). With a growing population in the United Kingdom facing language barriers, this research explores the challenges encountered by medical students, emphasizing the need for enhanced medical education in this domain. Methods A qualitative technique was used to recruit 20 medical students enrolled in a Medicine MBBS degree program at a UK institution. Convenience sampling was utilized, and five separate focus groups were conducted. Semi-structured interview schedules guided discussions surrounding encounters with patients necessitating the use of interpreters. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring patterns and themes. Results Three primary themes emerged from the data analysis: interpersonal relations, feasibility, and duties and responsibilities. The findings underscore the challenges faced by medical students when communicating with patients having LEP. The study provides valuable insights into the nuanced aspects of these encounters, shedding light on the complex interplay between language barriers and effective healthcare delivery. Conclusion This research contributes to the limited body of qualitative literature on medical students' experiences in managing language barriers with patients. The identified themes provide a foundation for modifying medical education curricula to better equip students to address communication challenges associated with linguistic diversity. The study advocates for the integration of these experiences into medical training, emphasizing the broader implications for healthcare delivery and the reduction of health inequalities in linguistically diverse patient populations. The study also recommends the usage of up-to-date translation services built into the electronic healthcare records. This relationship minimizes inaccuracy in presenting the results of patient diagnostic films and tests, reduces wait times for treatment, and contributes to an overall cost reduction within this healthcare sector.