Low-income Urban Households Research Articles

Relationship between Negative Maternal Parenting Style and Social-Emotional Development of Young Children from Urban Low-Income Households in Lembah Klang, Malaysia

Relationship between Negative Maternal Parenting Style and Social-Emotional Development of Young Children from Urban Low-Income Households in Lembah Klang, Malaysia

Link Between Customer Perception and Financial Inclusion: An Empirical Analysis with Reference to Urban Low-income Households in Sri Lanka

Link Between Customer Perception and Financial Inclusion: An Empirical Analysis with Reference to Urban Low-income Households in Sri Lanka

Healthcare access and deprivation in low-income urban households

The financial situation of households is related to their access to healthcare and their level of deprivation. This study analysed the factors that influence access to healthcare among low-income households in Gauteng, South Africa. A quantitative cross-sectional design was adopted using the binary logistic regression technique, drawing on the Gauteng City-Region Observatory Quality of Life 2020/2021 data, consisting of 9700 observations randomly drawn from eight municipalities. Based on marginal effects, the study findings revealed that seven factors significantly influenced access to healthcare. That is, healthcare source, nonuse of public facilities, proximity to a healthcare facility, satisfaction with healthcare services, medical aid, health status, health work, social health activities, and chronic illness. More effort is needed to harness Gauteng’s economic progress towards alleviating poverty and increasing opportunities to lift low-income households out of the poverty trap. Investment in an advanced public health care system, public–private sector coordination, improved health budget allocation, and doctor-patient ratio will reduce the out-of-pocket costs of poor households.

Food Security Sustainability among Urban Low-Income Households in Malaysia: A Systematic Literature Review

Food Security Sustainability among Urban Low-Income Households in Malaysia: A Systematic Literature Review

Toward sustainable energy transition: understanding electricity-use behavior among low-income urban households in Kumasi

ABSTRACT The residential sector is a critical contributor to global energy consumption. In Ghana, it accounts for 47% of the total electricity consumed. However, inadequate knowledge of categories of residential consumers, their profiles, and the implications on their consumption patterns could impede the development of targeted and sustainable interventions. This study examined the behavioral patterns among low-income urban households in Kumasi, using their socio-demographic and housing characteristics, and self-reported values. This is coherent to the current discourse on Ghana’s transition to zero carbon by 2070 given that Kumasi is the fastest-growing city in the country. Using quantitative methods within a transdisciplinary research design, a survey of 285 households was conducted. The findings yielded varied outcomes. Households reported good electricity use behavior (e.g. covering liquids in the refrigerator) and poor behaviors (e.g. not adjusting the power setting of refrigerators to weather conditions). Logistic regression operations showed associations between energy use behavior, the type of housing units and the type of electricity meters. A significant proportion of respondents exhibited pro-environmental behaviors across all nine value domains. The study concludes that low-income households engage in energy-saving practices. We suggest that policy mediation could enhance the effectiveness of behavioral interventions toward electricity use efficiency.

Informality, affordability, and mortgage stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study of urban low-income households in Mumbai’s periphery

ABSTRACT The preexisting global urban housing affordability crisis worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within nations, households belonging to various socioeconomic strata differentially experienced housing affordability issues, with the low-income households disproportionately bearing the affordability stress compared to the higher-income households. We use a mixed-methods approach to investigate the consequences of COVID-19-induced mortgage stress in 154 low-income homebuyers living in the periphery of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in India. We draw upon the Conservation of Resources theory to study the stress outcomes due to affordability issues and understand its linkages with household financial wellbeing. A quantitative survey of 154 study participants revealed a significant relationship between mortgage stress and financial well-being mediated by financial stress. Further, qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews of 16 study participants using a comparative lens suggested that the pandemic-induced affordability issues disproportionately affected households with informal employment. Overall, the findings highlight a dynamic nature of affordability and its peculiar interplay with informality, emphasizing the urgency to reorient housing policies toward affordability and informality issues.

Health at Home: Investigating Low-Income Housing Quality on Colfax Avenue

Abstract: Addressing housing insecurity contributes to health care programs as stable housing has positive health benefits. Home environmental hazards may reduce these potential health benefits and could increase morbidity for conditions such as asthma. This study examined housing and indoor air quality among urban low-income households in Colorado to inform housing-insecurity interventions. We conducted a community-engaged study among residents of motels, mobile homes, apartments, and single-family homes that included a survey on the home environment, health, and sociodemographic factors, spirometry, and indoor air quality measurement. We enrolled 60 households: 50% single-family homes, 37% apartments, and 13% residential motels. Perceived stress and depression were higher among motel residents compared with other housing types. We did not find differences in lung function by housing type. Indoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon concentrations were higher in motels than in other housing types. The differential health impacts of housing type support housing programs that jointly address security and quality.

Diet quality and associations with motivation and ability to consume a healthy diet among adolescents from urban low-income households in Bangladesh

In low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban areas, adolescent diets consist mainly of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods, putting them at risk of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases (NCD). In Bangladesh, little is known about the diet quality of adolescents, their food choices and the drivers of such choices. This study assessed motivations and ability to consume a healthy diet among adolescent girls and boys from low-income urban families and how these drivers were associated with dietary diversity and diet quality. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 299 adolescents (15–19 years) from low-income households in Dhaka city during September–October 2020. The Diet Quality Questionnaire was used to collect non-quantitative food intake in the previous day or night to calculate diet quality indicators of food group diversity score, % of adolescents achieving minimum dietary diversity, NCD-Protect and NCD-Risk and the Global Dietary Recommendations score. Motivation was measured by 11 food choice motives. Ability was measured by belief in own ability to engage in healthy eating behaviors (self-efficacy). Adolescent diets showed a mean food group diversity of 4.9 out of 10, with 60% of adolescents achieving minimum dietary diversity, but lacked health-promoting foods (average of 2.7 out of 9 food groups) yet included few foods to avoid and limit (1.6 out of 9). Adolescents valued food choice motive ‘safety' the most, followed by ‘health', ‘taste', ‘price', ‘convenience' and ‘local or seasonal'. A higher motivation to consume ‘local or seasonal' and a lower motivation driven by ‘price', and a higher perceived self-efficacy were associated with better diet quality. Future interventions should address self-efficacy, concerns about food price and increase local and seasonal foods availability in the urban poor food environment of Dhaka to improve overall diet quality.

Who Uses Childcare Centers? Evidence from Burkina Faso

What determines childcare center use for low-income urban households? And how does subsidizing provision change access to childcare services? We study these questions using data from a randomized evaluation that subsidized childcare center use for women participating in a public works program in Burkina Faso. One quarter of eligible women use these childcare services, tripling childcare center use for zero-to six-year-olds in our sample. Household wealth significantly predicts childcare center use. However, the public works childcare centers increased access for disadvantaged households and young children. Women employed as childcare providers were also more likely to use the childcare centers.

Effects of government assistance programs on the well-being of urban low-income households during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia

This study aims to investigate the effects of government assistance programs on the well-being of urban low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Malaysians’ well-being, affecting a variety of factors such as income, health, and standard of living. To address the repercussions of the pandemic, the government has implemented diverse economic stimulus packages. Household well-being is assessed using four indicators: income, health, cost of living, and social relations. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in six regions of Malaysia. Data from 706 respondents was analysed using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The main findings reveal that government assistance programs enhance household well-being by reducing the cost of living, increasing income, improving health, and fostering social interactions. Specifically, among the four focused aspects, the programs have the most significant impact on improving the health of low-income households. These programs have the least effect on enhancing well-being through the reduction of the cost of living. Consequently, these findings provide valuable information to policymakers in understanding the effectiveness of government assistance programs during the crisis period. This nationwide evidence-based analysis will contribute additional insights to the formulation of future assistance programs aimed at improving the well-being of low-income households.

Potential contribution of urban roadside plant nurseries to forest plant conservation and human well-being in the face of climate change, Uganda

ABSTRACT Plant diversity is one of the fundamental cornerstones for human well-being and sustainable development in countries where household livelihoods are highly dependent on land resources. Given their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and increasing threat to plant diversity sustainability efforts to conserve plant diversity through ex-situ strategies like plant nurseries management are crucial for those countries. We surveyed 70 roadside plant nurseries across Kampala District, to understand their contribution to plant conservation and human livelihoods in the face of global change. One hundred and nine species representing 55 families including exotics and indigenous were recorded. The most frequent indigenous species were Musanga cecropioides, Elaeis guinensis, Maesopsis eminii, and the endangered Encephalartos hildebrandtii. Over 94% of the respondents depended on plant nursery business for their economic needs. Over 92% of the respondents lacked the technical capacity to manage plant nurseries for conservation and as a business. Yet with proper management, the plant nurseries can enhance plant conservation, urban forestry development, and act as green businesses. Hence, contributing to livelihood improvement of the low-income urban households; and achieving assisted plant migration as an adaptation strategy for plant conservation in the face of global change.

Patterns of participation in summer programming among United States’ elementary children from low-income urban households: Results from the project SWEAT study

Food insecurity increases among marginalized children during the summer when school is out of session. Summer programming that offers access to healthy meals and snacks may reduce the risk. There is a national call in the US for more research to assure equitable access to summer programming. The objective of this prospective observational study was to characterize patterns of participation in summer programming among elementary children from low-income urban neighborhoods of metropolitan[Blinded]. Summer programming was broadly defined (e.g., church, school, recreation center, community center). Caregivers(n = 100) received weekly text messages via TextIt during the summer (Jun-Aug 2017). They were asked: “How many days this week did [ChildName] attend a summer program? Please respond with a number from 0 to 5, where 0 – no days, 2 – 2 days, etc.” Weekly counts were summed.Stepwise logistic and linear regression models were conducted to examine differences in patterns of attendance according to key sociodemographic characteristics. Mean age was 7.03 ± 0.23. 52 % identified as female, 70 % were low-income, and 80.0 % identified as Black. 51 % attended summer programming at least once; 49 % never attended. Those who attended at least once vs. not at all were more likely to be male(p < 0.01); 62.75 % males vs. 37.25 % females attended summer programming at least once, whereas 67.35 % females compared to 32.65 % males never attended.Overall mean attendance was 10.40 ± 1.43 days(out of 50). Mean + SE attendance was lower for females (7.52 + 1.76) vs. males (13.52 + 2.21)(p < 0.05), and non-Black (4.30 + 1.97) vs. Black (11.93 + 1.67)(p = 0.01) children. Future research is needed to understand barriers to participation in summer programming.

The Relationship between Children’s Temperament, Mothers’ Perceived Stress and Social and Emotional Development of Preschool Children from Malaysia Urban Low-income Households

The Relationship between Children’s Temperament, Mothers’ Perceived Stress and Social and Emotional Development of Preschool Children from Malaysia Urban Low-income Households

Triggers of electricity-use efficiency amongst low-income households in Kumasi, Ghana

The Fogg Behaviour Model suggests that for behaviour to occur, motivation, ability and a trigger must interact at the same time. Using this framing, this paper investigates and reflects on the triggers of energy use behaviour amongst low-income urban households in Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana within the broader framing of sustainable energy transition. The research adopted the transdisciplinary approach. Selected households voluntarily participated in the research project implemented over a period of 2 years. Households were grouped into full-treatment, partial-treatment, and control groups. A co-designed intervention was introduced to the full treatment group. This paper observes and reflects on the energy behaviour of the full treatment group before, during and after the intervention using the Fogg Behaviour Model. The paper concludes that ‘saving money’ is a key trigger toward electricity use efficiency amongst low-income urban households. Consequently, an energy transition programme amongst low-income households might be effective if designed around this theme.

Prevent or repair? Experimental evidence from providing incentives for climate resilient housing in Vietnam

ABSTRACT We present results from a randomized field experiment in Da Nang in Central Vietnam. We assess the take-up and impacts of a microcredit program that aims to increase the adoption of climate resilient housing among low-income urban households. Households were randomly assigned offers of either a loan and technical assistance package or a cash transfer with a smaller loan and technical assistance. We find large and significant impacts on the resilience of the new or retrofitted houses due to being offered the more generous incentive package. Households that were offered the cash transfer and a smaller loan, are three times as likely to accept. The difference in uptake, and therefore impact, of the two packages shows that there is a need for a subsidy in addition to the technical assistance in order to reach near-poor households. Previous public spending on typhoon relief indicates that such a subsidy could be covered by re-allocating funds from typhoon repairs to damage prevention through resilient housing.

Study design and rationale for the PAASIM project: a matched cohort study on urban water supply improvements and infant enteric pathogen infection, gut microbiome development and health in Mozambique

IntroductionDespite clear linkages between provision of clean water and improvements in child health, limited information exists about the health impacts of large water infrastructure improvements in low-income settings. Billions of...

The association of urinary sodium excretion with dietary sodium intake among selected low-income urban households.

The association of urinary sodium excretion with dietary sodium intake among selected low-income urban households.

How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect food environment, food purchase, and fish consumption among low-income urban households in Bangladesh-A path analysis.

BackgroundAnimal source foods, especially fish is the most commonly consumed and an important source of macro and micronutrients in the diet of the urban low-income residents. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the food environment in Bangladesh but little is known about how food access and food prices (affordability) have affected the purchase and consumption of fish. The objective of the study was to understand the impact of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban food environment with a specific focus on fish consumption.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 586 homogeneous adults (288 females and 298 males) from separate households from five informal settlements in Dhaka city, Bangladesh during October-November 2020. Data were collected on: (1) food access and affordably; and (2) food purchase and fish consumption. The associations between food access, price, food purchase, and fish consumption were evaluated using path analysis.ResultsThe majority of respondents reported that food access was more difficult, food prices increased, and food purchase decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-COVID (84–89% of respondents). Fish and meat were more difficult to access, more expensive and purchased less compared to other foods (74–91% of respondents). Compared to pre-COVID period, households consumed less fish during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reported compromised the variety and quality of fish. In the path analysis, food access was associated with food purchase (b = 0.33, p < 0.001). Food purchase was associated with quantity, variety, and quality of fish consumed. Food price was inversely associated with the quality of fish consumed (b = −0.27, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the food environment, particularly food access, price (affordability), purchase, and consumption, especially of fish. Limited food access negatively affected the quantity, variety and quality of fish consumed. An increase in food prices directly affected the quality of fish consumed. Policy actions are essential to ensure equal access to nutritious foods, such as fish. These policies need to focus on diversity and quality along with preventing increases in food prices during emergencies to mitigate future threats to the nutrition and health of the urban low-income residents.

Fuelwood in South Africa Revisited: Widespread Use in a Policy Vacuum

South Africa has experienced massive urbanisation and socioeconomic development over the past two decades. Concomitantly, the national energy policy focuses on the provision of modern fuels, notably electricity, for domestic use. Given this policy environment and socioeconomic development, we examine pertinent literature and policies from South Africa on fuelwood use, value, and sustainability to understand how it might have changed in tandem with the national shifts in urbanisation and socioeconomic development over the last 20 years. Recent literature shows that fuelwood is still used to some extent by 96% of rural households and 69% of low-income urban ones. We also estimate that the use of fuelwood by rural households alone is valued at approximately ZAR 10.5 billion (approx. USD 700 million) annually, with the probability of an equally high value to low-income urban households. However, despite the extensive use and high value, our analysis of cognate national policies related to energy, forestry, environment, and social development, show that fuelwood and its use is hardly considered, indicating a policy vacuum. This policy vacuum means that there is no strategic or apposite support or interventions in any localised areas where fuelwood demand might exceed supply, thereby undermining the livelihoods and energy security of affected citizens, most notably the poor.

A Case Study of Community-Academic Partnership in Improving the Quality of Life for Asthmatic Urban Minority Children in Low-Income Households.

Community–academic partnerships (CAPs) are being increasingly used to study and address health disparity issues. CAPs help to create new bodies of knowledge and innovative solutions to community problems, which benefits the community and academia. Supported by a grant, a partnership was formed between an academic research team and a community health organization to analyze and interpret data collected from the caregivers of asthmatic African American children living in urban low-income households. Using a case study approach, we discuss how we built a healthy CAP and the lessons learned from the process. Our analysis was guided by the six main factors that facilitate success in developing collaborative relationships, including (1) environment; (2) membership; (3) process and structure; (4) communication; (5) purpose; and (6) resources. Based on these six factors, we describe our collaboration process, challenges, and areas for improvement. We aimed to provide a “points-to-consider” roadmap for academic and community partners to establish and maintain a mutually beneficial and satisfactory relationship. Collaborating with community members and organizations provides unique opportunities for researchers and students to apply their skills and knowledge from textbooks and the classroom, engage with community members, and improve real-life community needs. Building a constructive CAP involves efforts, energy, and resources from both parties. The six major themes derived from our project offer suggestions for building a healthy, collaborative, and productive relationship that best serves communities in the future.