South Africa faces persistent socio-economic challenges, including high unemployment, skills mismatches, and structural inequalities that limit inclusive development. Despite a relatively high youth literacy rate, graduate unemployment has emerged as a critical concern, reflecting the disjuncture between higher education outputs and labour market needs. This article systematically reviews literature published between 2005 and 2025 to explore the complex interplay between graduate unemployment, skills mismatch, and labour mobility in South Africa. A total of 43 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science were analysed using a systematic literature review approach. The findings reveal five interrelated themes: (i) enduring inequities in education access and quality, rooted in colonial and apartheid legacies; (ii) limited transformation of higher education, characterised by poor throughput and uneven responsiveness; (iii) persistent mismatches between academic qualifications and industry requirements; (iv) the ideological framing of policy reforms shaped by global discourses such as Human Capital Theory; and (v) the disruptive effects of technological change, particularly the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Collectively, these themes highlight the need for reforms that strengthen the alignment between education and labour market demands, expand equitable access to work-integrated learning, and promote adaptive lifelong learning strategies. Policy implications underscore the importance of industry–university partnerships, curriculum reform, and context-sensitive labour market planning. While this review is limited to published literature, it provides valuable insights for addressing graduate unemployment and advancing inclusive, skills-driven growth. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, regional comparisons, and the role of technology in reshaping employability.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with oral healthcare based on accessibility, care environment and care quality. Methods: To meet the above objective, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients visiting the Biyem-Assi (BA) and Cité Verte District Hospitals in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 2021 to 2022. Satisfaction levels were assessed using an administered questionnaire derived from the Dental Satisfaction questionnaire (DSQ) and the Service Quality Questionnaire (SERVQUAL). Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. The mean was used for quantitative data, and the Likert scale was used to assess qualitative data. Results with p-values less than 5 were considered statistically significant. Results: Two hundred participants were included in this study. The age range from 29 to 39 years was the most represented (40%), and most participants were from the grassfields (41.5%). The literacy rate was high, 73.1% of participants had a tertiary level of education. Satisfaction with access to oral health in the study hospitals was 67.5%. Fifty-seven per cent of participants reported satisfaction with the hospital environment. Almost all participants (98%) were satisfied with the quality of care received. A global satisfaction of 71% was recorded. The reasons for patient dissatisfaction included high treatment costs (41%), lack of patient intimacy (60%), and long waiting hours (60-300 minutes). Conclusion: Patient satisfaction with oral healthcare was high. Major complaints included the non-respect of patient privacy, long waiting hours and high cost of treatment.

The coastal communities of southern Kerala, though rich in cultural and ecological heritage, face mounting socio-economic challenges due to both natural and human-induced pressures. This study offers a comprehensive assessment of the socio-economic vulnerability of 253 villages spread across the coastal plains from Ernakulam to Thiruvananthapuram. Using data from the 2011 Census and household records, the research analyzes key indicators such as population and household density, child and female population ratios, literacy rates, primary workers, and socially weaker groups to evaluate levels of vulnerability. These indicators were spatially mapped and ranked to create a composite vulnerability index, providing a clear picture of where and why vulnerability is most pronounced. Geographic Information System (GIS) tools played a central role in visualizing and interpreting these spatial patterns. To deepen the analysis, hotspot mapping was carried out using the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic in ArcGIS, identifying statistically significant clusters of high vulnerability, particularly in villages located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Alappuzha. Villages like Ochira, Arattupuzha, Attingal, and Vakkam emerged as major hotspots requiring immediate attention. The findings highlight the spatial disparities in vulnerability across districts and underscore the importance of localized, data-driven strategies for disaster risk reduction and sustainable planning. This study emphasizes the value of integrating socio-economic data with spatial analysis to better target interventions and build resilience among Kerala’s most at-risk coastal populations. Keywords: Disaster, Vulnerability, Kerala, GIS, Coastal plains

This study evaluated the effectiveness of implementing training materials and SDG activities for future geography teachers. The experimental discipline "Climate Change and its Consequences" was developed and implemented. The sample of participants in this study consisted of 121 3rd and 4th-year students with experience in teaching practice. The renting method checks the methodology's effectiveness according to the "Knowledge in the Field of Sustainable Development Goals" questionnaire before and after introducing the discipline. During one semester, the participants completed the course, and they were also provided with SDG-oriented webinars on the topic "Geographical Analysis of the Sustainable Development Goals" and events (Brain-ring and Olympiad). When studying the literacy rate according to the SDGs, 121 respondents showed an average increase in results by an average of 13.6% with a p-value of 0.049 (p<0.05). The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of this practice. This represents essential information for education and sustainable development.

Developing countries are faced with numerous health challenges such as lack of funding, increasing frequency and magnitude of epidemic risks, organizational and socio-cultural difficulties. In this context, we developed this study to assess for the first time the efficiency of health systems in the countries of the West African sub-region, firstly, to identify the systems that best adapt to these challenges and secondly, to highlight the factors that influence the health production process. To achieve this, we used the World Bank's, Worldwide Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators databases, from 2000 to 2022. We applied the stochastic fixed-effect frontier method of Kumbhakar et al. (2014) to account for unobservable heterogeneity in the estimates. We used a novel multiple imputation approach to deal with missing data, while determining the fractions of missing information in the estimates. The results show that the average relative efficiency for all countries in the sub-region is 89.7%. Countries in the West African sub-region could theoretically increase life expectancy at birth by an average of 10.3%, which represents 6.5 years, with the same level of resources used. The results also show that health systems in these countries have higher permanent inefficiency than temporal inefficiency, suggesting that they mainly face structural challenges. Per capita health expenditure, gross domestic product per capita, out-of-pocket expenditure per capita, literacy rate, poverty gap and voice and accountability were positively associated with the efficiency of their health systems.

This research aimed to explore the social integration process among Nuba youth, specifically those from migrant families born in Khartoum State. The Nuba group refers to the people of South Kordofan in Western Sudan, who are currently experiencing ongoing conflict. A purposive sampling method was employed to select a total of 120 male and female Nuba youth participants. Data were gathered through face-to-face interviews utilizing a pretested questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that these youth live in challenging conditions marked by high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and social isolation, leading them to develop their own lifestyle, which renders them vulnerable to exploitation and violence. Additionally, the results indicated that the social integration of Nuba youth with the host community is limited, despite changes in their socio-cultural practices and the adoption of a lifestyle that differs from that of the Nuba group.

Dengue incidence, mortality, and case-fatality in Brazil: spatial patterns, socioeconomic contrasts, and serotype impact.

IntroductionIn 2002, hepatitis B vaccines were incorporated into China’s National Immunisation Programme (NIP). In 2009, the catch-up vaccination was introduced for children born between 1994 and 2001. Sustained impacts of the NIP, particularly the catch-up vaccination, remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the NIP and catch-up vaccination on the incidence of hepatitis B in China.MethodsWe collected monthly reported hepatitis B cases in 31 provincial-level administrative districts (PLAD) in China from 2005 to 2019. Using two-stage generalised additive models with the interrupted time series design, we first estimated the effectiveness of the NIP and catch-up vaccination on hepatitis B incidence in each of the nine age groups within the study population, aged 5–29 years in each PLAD. Then, we used random-effects models to pool the effectiveness estimates for the same age group across PLADs and calculated the age-standardised population-weighted national effectiveness.ResultsReported hepatitis B cases amounted to 4 452 376 in China among the study population. Compared with the pre-NIP period, the NIP contributed to an average decrease of 54.82% (95% CI 36.39% to 67.33%) in the incidence among individuals aged 5–19 years. Among individuals aged 9–29 years, the incidence associated with the catch-up vaccination decreased by 54.50% (95% CI 48.49% to 59.60%) on average. The NIP and catch-up vaccination could prevent an average of 24.66 (95% empirical CI (eCI) 13.74 to 25.01) and 25.69 (95% eCI 23.91 to 26.99) cases per 100 000 individuals annually, respectively. Interventions were notably more effective in northwest China and in PLADs with lower HBsAg prevalence, low hospitalisation bed density, low urbanisation rates or low illiteracy rates, reducing disparities in the burden of hepatitis B.ConclusionsThe NIP and the catch-up vaccination initiative significantly reduced hepatitis B incidence across China. These findings have important implications for optimising existing national or international hepatitis B-related vaccination strategies.

Health literacy is one's ability to find, comprehend, and use information to make health decisions. Nursing students are exposed to health literacy during degree programs, yet no formal education exists across prelicensure associate and baccalaureate curricula. This lack of standardization contributes to poor provider performance and low health literacy rates, leading to suboptimal outcomes. About 80 million Americans have limited health literacy, increasing vulnerability to poor care and outcomes. Since the 1990s, limited health literacy has been linked to preventable admissions. A multidatabase search (CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE) using key terms identified 12 full-text articles analyzing education quality in health literacy and patient education. Studies show benefits from multimodal health literacy education. Students had foundational skills but limited faculty and curricular support. Future research should examine standardized curricula and long-term effects on student self-efficacy and patient education.

BackgroundMumps remains a major public health challenge in China, exhibiting distinct seasonal peaks in spring and notable spatial heterogeneity in incidence patterns. These spatiotemporal characteristics necessitate advanced analytical methods to identify driving factors and inform targeted intervention strategies.MethodsWe integrated space-time scanning statistics and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) to analyze mumps incidence across China (2005–2020). This approach overcomes the limitations of traditional methods by simultaneously assessing economic development, education level, population structure, and healthcare resources factors.ResultsNational incidence exhibited a fluctuating decline from 27.60 (2005) to 10.09 per 100,000 (2020), peaking in 2012 (38.49 per 100,000). Space-time scanning identified persistent high-risk clusters in western China and transient clusters in northeastern regions. GTWR modeling revealed significant spatiotemporal variations in risk factors: illiteracy rate and population density showed transitioning impacts reflecting improved health education, while household size effects strengthened, emphasizing close-contact transmission. Healthcare resources exhibited opposing effects, being protective in eastern regions but risk-enhancing in western areas. GDP per capita demonstrated protective effects in western and southeastern China but was associated with elevated risk elsewhere.ConclusionsThe findings underscore the need for regionally tailored prevention strategies and precision interventions accounting for local socioeconomic contexts. This study provides a methodological framework for spatiotemporal disease surveillance and evidence-based policy-making to reduce mumps transmission in China.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-24992-3.

The Non-Formal Education Program (NFEP) was developed to ensure inclusive and fair access to education for marginalized learners and, longitudinally, to increase the literacy and employability rates along with the possibility of lifelong learning. Despite most of the given literature having been devoted to academic performances, in particular, the performance with respect to Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) tests, little attention has been devoted to ALS as a livelihood development and entrepreneurship platform. The present paper applies the method of document analysis to the government reports, policy frameworks, program manuals and evaluation studies to investigate the ways ALS integrates aspects of entrepreneurship and livelihood in its curriculum and implementation. The findings highlight the fact that ALS modules, such as life skills, financial literacy, problem-solving, and community-based training have a potential to become the important instruments that will equip learners with the set of skills that will help them to be prepared to work independently, start or manage small businesses, and participate in the local economy. At the same time, the review reveals part of the difficulties represented in the documents, such as the access to startup capital, insufficient market links, digital skills, and resource constraints, leading to the small scale of livelihood-based programs. The perspectives of ALS have been defined in the paper. Instructions are made institutional and non-discriminatory. Economic empowerment by synthesis of. Documents and records that have been published. The analysis is part of the more general discussion of education as the instrument of sustainable development because it creates a connection between literacy, employability, and community development.

Bangladesh has already achieved incredible success in increasing literacy rates, but it still lags far behind in ensuring educational facilities for the children with special needs. It is impossible to ensure inclusive education excluding a segment of the society. For various reasons, it has not yet been possible to create a conducive environment for the education of the children with special needs in most areas of Bangladesh among these are lacks of family and social awareness, prejudice, negligence for the children with special needs, reluctance to educate them, insufficient institutional facilities, lack of proper training of the teachers and the staffs of the educational institutions, lack of necessary financial support, etc. Educational opportunities for the children with special needs in the coastal region are more complex. They have been facing various challenges to get their education rights. This research aims to narrate the education opportunities of the children with special needs in the littoral zone of Bangladesh and to indicate the core challenges of getting education facilities in these areas. To provide a wide understanding this study adopts a quantitative technique. In this research both primary and secondary data has been used. This research is based on field investigation and the data was collected from the children with special needs, from their parents and their teachers through interviews and observation of the researchers. To supplement primary data the data from government reports, academic publications and relevant data-sources were analyzed. This research exposes that, 60% children with special needs in the littoral zones are not going to any educational institutions and only 40% children with special needs are going to any types of educational institutions. Those who are going to school among them 80% children with special needs have faced different types of negative experiences when they are going to school. Almost in the every educational institution have minimum a special needs child but there have no special arrangements for the children with special needs in the educational institutions of the littoral zones of Bangladesh.

Objective: The study's objective is to ascertain how institutional policies, societal norms, financial hardships, familial expectations, mobility restrictions, and gender-based discrimination affect their educational routes. Background: Literacy Rate by Gender in South Punjab shows the stark gender disparity in literacy across the seven districts of South Punjab: Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Lodhran, and Rajanpur. In all district shown, male literacy rates are much greater than female literacy rates. Methodology: The study has adopted the qualitative research design, the study focuses on the subjective experiences and opinions of fifteen female students enrolled in public and private universities located throughout South Punjab. A systematic interview technique was used to collect data. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes. Results: Thematic analysis revealed the following themes: 1) High costs of education 2) Limited specialized programs 3) Societal & familial pressures 4) Gender-biased prioritization 5) Harassment & inadequate security 6) Absence of counselling & mentorship 7) Conditional family support 8) Lack of mental health support. Recommendations: Voices of Dropouts, Impact of Government and NGO Interventions, parents Perspectives on Female Education, Comparative Regional Studies, need of financial aid for female students, anti-harassment policies, the need for career counselling and mentorship programs, urgent reforms in university infrastructure, more employment opportunities for female students.

BackgroundRapid economic development and urbanization in China have improved population health outcomes, but exacerbated inequalities in the allocation of public health human resources (PHHR). Existing studies largely rely on static measures and offer limited insights into the mechanisms driving these disparities. This study systematically identifies and quantifies the determinants influencing public health workforce allocation in China, aiming to provide empirical evidence to guide policy interventions.MethodsThis study analyzed the allocation of PHHR across 31 Chinese provinces from 2018 to 2022, employing four inequality indices: Gini coefficients (Gini), concentration index (CI), absolute Gini (AGini), and absolute concentration index (ACI). Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and bivariate correlation analyses were used to assess temporal and regional variations. The recentered influence function-index-ordinary least squares (RIF-I-OLS) method was applied to decompose these inequality indices. This approach quantified the contributions of key factors, including the illiteracy rate among the population aged 15 years and above, government health expenditure, number of professional public health institutions (PPHI), mortality rate from Class A and B infectious diseases (IDs), and life expectancy (LE), while distinguishing between characteristic effects and coefficient effects.ResultsBetween 2018 and 2019, inequity in PHHR allocation increased (Gini: 0.3792–0.3844; CI 0.0215–0.0495). In contrast, from 2019 to 2022, allocation equity improved (Gini: 0.3715; CI 0.0279). A greater number of PPHIs, a lower mortality rate of class A and B IDs, and longer LE helped mitigate inequalities, whereas a lower illiteracy rate among the population aged ≥ 15 years and increased governmental health expenditure exacerbated disparities. Inequality in PHHR allocation during 2018–2019 was primarily driven by characteristic effects, whereas in 2021–2022, coefficient effects became dominant, underscoring the role of institutional and systemic factors.ConclusionsWhile the equity of PHHR allocation in China has shown modest improvement, structural and institutional factors remain key determinants of lingering inequities. This highlights the need for targeted policies to optimize the distribution of the public health workforce.

This study aims to examine the impact of life expectancy, literacy rate, calorie consumption, and protein consumption on the Human Development Index (HDI). The analysis utilizes secondary data collected from six provinces on the island of Sumatra over the period 2019 to ‎‎2023. Employing a quantitative approach, the study applies panel data regression to investigate the relationship between the selected variables and HDI. The findings reveal that life expectancy and protein consumption each have a significant positive effect on HDI. In contrast, ‎literacy rate does not exhibit a statistically significant effect, as indicated by a significance value of 0.9178. Interestingly, calorie consumption demonstrates a significant negative influence on HDI, with a coefficient of -0.988981. Overall, the four independent variables collectively account for 70.11% of the variation in HDI across the six provinces, while the remaining 29.89% is attributed to other factors not ‎examined in this study‎.

Even after 75 years of Independence the education system in India has not yielded desired results in this tribal areas. There is progress in the rate of literacy but the goal of tribal literacy has not been achieved . proper education and teaching can only give them a sense of awareness and self determination. The high rate of drop out of children and low literacy rate poses. A serious problem in the development which constitute a challenge to implementation of educational policies.

ABSTRACT Description of the subject: Evaluating the sustainability of agricultural production systems is a major issue for sustainable development, especially in market gardening sectors supported by development projects. Objective: This study aims to analyze the sustainability of market gardening production systems following the implementation of the PROPACOM, PARFACI and PRO2M projects in the department of Korhogo. Methodology: A combined approach of quantitative and qualitative methods was used. Thirteen beneficiary groups were surveyed through individual questionnaires and focus groups. Data were analyzed using the IDPM method (Indicators of Sustainability in Market Gardening), which evaluates agroecological, socio-territorial, and economic dimensions. In total, 260 producers mainly women were surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire and through three (3) focus group discussions. Results: The results show that most producers are women aged between 36 and 60, with low literacy levels. The production systems are characterized by intensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Sustainability scores reveal that the PARFACI and PRO2M perimeters are more sustainable than those of PROPACOM in agroecological and socio-territorial dimensions. However, none of the assessed farms achieved satisfactory economic sustainability. Specifically, the transferability and viability components for the whole projects were revealed as extremely low to provide sustainability to the output of the actions leaded. Conclusion: Post-project farming systems face structural constraints, mainly due to limited technical and economic support, which undermines their long-term sustainability. As recommendations, it is imperative to focus on literacy among producers in order to reduce the illiteracy rate and facilitate the mastery of some necessary tools. It is also profitable to encourage the use of organic manure instead of chemical fertilizers, which are too expensive and often dangerous for health.

Background: Self-medication (SM) is described as the usage of medication without authorization or prescription from a certified physician. SM in children is a rising concern, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. This study aims to determine the frequency of SM in children under 5 years (SMC5), practiced by their caregivers (CGs), and the factors leading to it. Materials and Methodology: From August to September 2021, a single-centered cross-sectional survey was conducted using a standardized questionnaire administered by an interviewer. CGs provided informed consent before participating in the study. Statistical analysis was carried out with IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Results: Our study comprised 476 final participants. Approximately half (45.8%) of the children were in the age group of 1-3 years, 36.1% were under 12 months old, and 16.8% were between 3-5 years old. The majority of the CGs were women (96.01%). 53.99% of CGs did not have primary education indicating a very low literacy rate. A vast majority (83.1%) of CGs had drugs available at home with 42.9% of the population getting them from a pharmacy. 94.8% of the CGs had very poor knowledge regarding the correct timing, dosage, and adverse effects of the drug, resulting in irrational use of the drugs. Conclusion: According to this study, SMC5 is a common practice that carries significant health risks. Governments, healthcare authorities, and educational institutions can work together to address this issue.

This study investigated the impact of Literacy Rate (LRt), Literacy Rate Male (LRMt), Literacy Rate Female (LRFt) and Educational Expenditure (EEt) on (GDPt) of Pakistan’s economy for the sample period 2003-04 to 2023-24. Augmented Dickey Fullert (ADF) Test found that tested dependent variable (i.e GDP) is termed as stationary at level I(0) only, whereas the rest of independent variables are termed as stationary after applying 1st differencing. Findings of Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and Auto-regressive distributed model revealed the positive and significant impact of Literacy Rate of Male upon economic growth of Pakistan. Bound test indicated long run association among variables in the model. The value of the Error Correction Value is worked out as -0.71 termed statistically significant revealing convergence status from short run dynamics towards long run adjustments in the model. Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) indicated absence of severe multicollinearity, Heteroscedasticity Test, Lagrange Multiplier (LM) Test, Normality Test, Granger Causality Test and Wald Test confirmed stability of model. The study conclude that literacy rates male and female proportion and its educational expenditure witnessed significant influence on economic growth through reduction of poverty, efficient use of innovation and meaningful participation in the labour market. Educated community being skilled human asset of the economy would be instrumental for driving advance technology in competitive global economy for the promotion of economic growth.

This study examines the impact of education and healthcare expenditures on emergency medicine service (EMS) usage in Türkiye (2002–2023). It explores how literacy, school enrolment, and public healthcare spending influence EMS demand. Lower literacy and enrolment may increase emergency visits, reducing EMS efficiency. Public healthcare spending improves primary care, easing EMS congestion, while private healthcare spending may increase EMS use through easier access. A descriptive and relational scanning model was used to categorize EMS utilization per 100,000 populations. Data on EMS use, education and healthcare expenditures were collected from official sources. Pearson correlation, multiple regression and year controlled partial correlation were applied. The R squared value confirmed model fit and identified education and healthcare spending as key EMS predictors. Limitations include aggregated data and untested factors. Future research should explore the relations hip between socioeconomic status and healthcare infrastructure. Primary school enrolment negatively correlated with EMS use (r=-0.890, p<0.01), while literacy rate had a positive correlation (r=0.992, p<0.01). Public healthcare spending reduced EMS demand, but regression analysis indicated that literacy rate was the strongest predictor of EMS utilization (B=142.13, p<0.01). Education significantly influences EMS use. Higher literacy rates increase EMS utilization, while school enrolment reduces it. Strengthening health literacy and primary care can enhance EMS effectiveness.