Low Social Status Research Articles

Navigating tradition: agency of young urban women in Kyrgyzstan during wedding negotiations and early marriage

ABSTRACT Daughters-in-law (or kelins 1 in the Kyrgyz language) have traditionally been portrayed in Kyrgyz society as holding a low social status, and are commonly subject to oppressive and negative practices within the family structure. This study examines the experiences of young women from urban communities during their wedding preparations and the initial years of living with their husband’s parents. The study investigates the strategies that young women employ during interactions with their in-laws throughout the negotiation and decision-making processes regarding their wedding and future married life. The transcripts of six interviews with recently married women were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings discuss the respondents’ discursive positions regarding their experiences as brides and daughters-in-law.

Big data study using health insurance claims to predict multidisciplinary low vision service uptake.

There is a lack of research from high-income countries with various health care and funding systems regarding barriers and facilitators in low vision services (LVS) access. Furthermore, very few studies on LVS provision have used claims data. This study aimed to investigate which patient characteristics predict receiving multidisciplinary LVS (MLVS) in the Netherlands, a high-income country, based on health care claims data. Data from a Dutch national health insurance claims database (2015 to 2018) of patients with eye diseases causing potentially severe visual impairment were retrieved. Patients received MLVS (n = 8766) and/or ophthalmic treatment in 2018 (reference, n = 565,496). MLVS is provided by professionals from various clinical backgrounds, including nonprofit low vision optometry. Patient characteristics (sociodemographic, clinical, contextual, general health care utilization) were assessed as potential predictors using a multivariable logistic regression model, which was internally validated with bootstrapping. Predictors for receiving MLVS included prescription of low vision aids (odds ratio [OR], 8.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.99 to 9.61), having multiple ophthalmic diagnoses (OR, 3.49; 95% CI, 3.30 to 3.70), receiving occupational therapy (OR, 2.32; 95% CI, 2.15 to 2.51), mental comorbidity (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.23), comorbid hearing disorder (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.86 to 2.11), and receiving treatment in both a general hospital and a specialized ophthalmic center (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.37), or by a general practitioner (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.18 to 1.29). Characteristics associated with lower odds included older age (OR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.32), having a low social economic status (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.86 to 0.97), physical comorbidity (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.92), and greater distance to an MLVS (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92 to 0.98). The area under the curve of the model was 0.75 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.76; optimism = 0.0008). Various sociodemographic, clinical, and contextual patient characteristics, as well as factors related to patients' general health care utilization, were found to influence MLVS receipt as barriers or facilitators. Eye care practitioners should have attention for socioeconomically disadvantaged older patients when considering MLVS referral.

Этические и социальные аспекты подростковой беременности

Teen pregnancy remains one of the key social issues that deeply affects not only the life of a young mother and her child but their inner circle and society as well. In spite of multiple efforts to reduce its prevalence rate, teen pregnancy is still a pressing issue in many countries. Currently, there are several key problems that can result in an increased risk of teen pregnancy. They include an early beginning of sexual activity, history of sexual abuse, low social and economic status, lack of parental care and support, cultural and family behavioral models, use of psychoactive substances, poor academic performance and expulsion from school. In addition, the probability of a repeated teenage pregnancy is significantly increased, passing the problem on from one generation to another. This article is aimed at a comprehensive analysis of these factors and statistical data in order to better understand the problem of teenage pregnancy, assess its consequences for the health and well-being of those underaged and their children. Special attention is paid to the ethical and social aspects of teenage pregnancy.

The Literary Image in Writings and Practical Well - Being in Reality: The Psychological Exploration of Female Migrant Workers in China

Background: the core of literary works is to reveal the epitomizing image in society so as to provoke the bottom of people’s heart. The image of female migrant workers is always touching the nerve of public since this vulnerable group keeps suffering from class, gender and so on. In 2022, the number of rural migrant workers in China had surged to 295.62 million, 36.6 percent were female which rose by 0.7% from the previous year. The psychological health of this huge group still lagged behind though the living condition and other welfare are improve compared with that in the past. The solution remain unanswered and the landscape of their psychological health needs further delve into. Method: the study explores the psychological dynamics from three different angles such as mental emancipation, consumer behavior and “technology transformation” enlightened by epitomizing image of female migrant workers in literary writings. There are 1574 female migrant workers, who have been divided in three groups depends on their age (660 - group 1; 584 - group 2; 330 - group 3), have participated in the questionnaire and the data has been analyzed by SPSS so as to further study the connotation and enlighten us to figure out strategies to better help their psychological health with different age groups. Results and Conclusion: The findings highlighted the different psychological problems and features in different age groups, the younger generation (< 30) is living more freely and does not take “traditional burden” as the imperatives; however, they still find themselves stuck in class transition. To middle age group (30-45) and senior age group (> 45), data indicates their heavy burden and suffer from the technology advancement etc. Unlike male migrant workers, the female group is more vulnerable due to several unique factors such as low social status which renders us to find better solution to help via the clear unique features as the study unearthed.

Worry-YING and Worry-YANG: A Critical Feminist Study with Women Who Worry

Gender is a critical determinant of mental health and well-being. Women are at greater risk of mental illness due to gender-based violence, economic disadvantage, and low social status. Women experience higher levels of acute and chronic stress and are twice as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is a serious public health problem affecting 1:3 people worldwide, and according to WHO's International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), a key symptom of anxiety is excessive worry. Few studies, however, have explored worry as a precursor to anxiety, and fewer have explored worry in relation to gender. This critical feminist study aimed to explore this phenomenon and identify the impact of worry on women and their mental health and well-being. Methods: Forty-five women living in Melbourne, Australia, participated in this qualitative study. They attended a 1-h semi-structured interview with the researcher to define and discuss worry and identify any impact or effect worry or worrying has had on their life as women. Results: The findings revealed that women worry about children, money, work, study, and violence against women. Conclusions: This study builds on the existing knowledge of the mental health and well-being of women, supports early intervention strategies to prevent anxiety disorder and long-term health risks; and meets the core objectives of the National Women’s Health Strategy 2020-2030 to ‘Improve the health and wellbeing of all women and girls in Australia’.

Student Learning Experiences and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic at the University of Free State

South African universities were closed nationally during the COVID-19 pandemic. On-campus learning was suspended, and on-campus student accommodation was closed from March 2020, with phased returns to campus continuing until early 2022. The study intended to identify categories of students whose learning and well-being were most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide empirical evidence to inform initiatives to support these students better. An online cross-sectional survey completed by 1 562 respondents studying at a South African university explored students’ experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on students’ learning and well-being, subjective social status, sense of coherence, and future anxiety. Multivariable regression models showed younger age (18 to 21 years), female gender, low subjective social status, and isiZulu and English home language were significantly associated with lower well-being. Regression analysis also showed a significant association between the dimensions of manageability and meaningfulness of sense of coherence and well-being and that high levels of future anxiety were associated with lower well-being. Half of the respondents (49.6%) reported that the pandemic has negatively impacted their overall student experience. However, more than half (51.2%) prefer online to face-to-face learning and found it less time-consuming (63.5%). The results could assist universities in introducing appropriate support services targeting young female students with low subjective social status to support the mental health and well-being of those most affected by the pandemic

The genetics of intelligence and social outcomes in a Hungarian twin sample

Most previous research found that within-family resemblance on social outcomes and intelligence is mostly due to genetic factors with a limited role of the shared environment, with the exception of educational attainment. Hypotheses about a gene-environment interaction with SES, with a presumably smaller role of genetic factors in families with low social status, have been only partially confirmed. However, these results do not necessarily generalize to all societies, and data from Central or Eastern European countries is currently deficient. In the current work we replicate using data from the Hungarian Twin Registry that intelligence, income, and educational attainment are substantially heritable, with limited role of the shared environment. In contrast to studies in Anglo-Saxon or Western European countries, we found an influence of the shared environment on standardized high school test scores, especially history. Both genetic and shared environmental (but not nonshared environmental) correlations were substantial, in line with generalist genes and shared environments but specific nonshared environmental effects. The results show that the heritability of social traits is observable in Central/Eastern Europe, but they highlight a potentially problematic aspect of Hungarian high school final tests, as students' family of origin appears to be a potent determinant of grades.

IJCM_108A: A Community Based Cross-sectional Study on prevalence of Low Social Support Status of the Geriatric Age group in a Rural population of South India.

Background: The elderly above 60 years of age constituted 10.5% of India’s population according to the United Nations Population Fund India Ageing Report 2023. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of low social support of the geriatric age group in a rural population of South India. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out on 200 elderly individuals including both genders in two villages of the field practice areas of the Rural Health Training Center of MAPIMS during the month of September & October 2023 with the use of the Multidimensional Scale Perceived Social Support questionnaire (MSPSS). Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were carried out using SPSS version 24 software. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 66.33 ± 8.02 years and the majority of the study participants were females (62%). Out of 200 study Participants, 110 (55%) elderly were found to have low social support, 71 (35.5%) had moderate social support and 19 (9.5%) had high social support. The result also showed that the farmers, Illiterates, people belonging to low socioeconomic status and those married were significantly having low social support. Conclusion: The study concluded the prevalence of low social support is high among the geriatric population and emphasizes the need to create awareness among the people regarding the provision of social support to the geriatric population.

Determinants, Motivators and Barriers for Utilitarian Cycling in Starter Cities: Case of Battaramulla, Sri Lanka

In the 1960s, a counter-cultural movement promoting utilitarian bicycle usage emerged in Europe and North America, challenging the dominance of cars, and advocating for sustainable urban mobility. despite the emergence of this movement, many developing cities have low cycling modal share and encounter obstacles in promoting utilitarian cycling. This study delves into workers attitudes toward using bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation. Employing a Binary logistic regression model and incorporating the Relative Importance Index (RII), the research identifies key determinants of utilitarian cycling. The findings highlight significant community willingness (71%) to bike to work, despite perceived barriers. Safety concerns (RII - 0.88) and environmental factors (RII = 0.60), such as rain and heat, emerge as prominent deterrents. Societal perceptions linking cycling to lower social status (vanity) (RII = 0.35), bicycle affordability (RII = 0.35), and work-related factors (RII = 0.48), such as non-cycle-friendly work attire and insufficient office parking safety, play relatively minor roles in discouraging bicycle use. Using the logistic regression model, the study predicts factors influencing the willingness to use bicycles for utilitarian transportation, revealing negative impacts from the absence of cycling infrastructure, motor traffic, rainy weather, and a lack of a cycling community.

The immediate integration of semantic selectional restrictions of Chinese social hierarchical verbs with extralinguistic social hierarchical information in comprehension

Abstract Social hierarchical information impacts language comprehension. Nevertheless, the specific process underlying the integration of linguistic and extralinguistic sources of social hierarchical information has not been identified. For example, the Chinese social hierarchical verb 赡养, /shan4yang3/, ‘support: provide for the needs and comfort of one’s elders’, only allows its Agent to have a lower social status than the Patient. Using eye-tracking, we examined the precise time course of the integration of these semantic selectional restrictions of Chinese social hierarchical verbs and extralinguistic social hierarchical information during natural reading. A 2 (Verb Type: hierarchical vs. non-hierarchical) × 2 (Social Hierarchy Sequence: match vs. mismatch) design was constructed to investigate the effect of the interaction on early and late eye-tracking measures. Thirty-two participants (15 males; age range: 18–24 years) read sentences and judged the plausibility of each sentence. The results showed that violations of semantic selectional restrictions of Chinese social hierarchical verbs induced shorter first fixation duration but longer regression path duration and longer total reading time on sentence-final nouns (NP2). These differences were absent under non-hierarchical conditions. The results suggest that a mismatch between linguistic and extralinguistic social hierarchical information is immediately detected and processed.

DNA methylation signatures of early-life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons

The early-life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early-life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early-life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early-life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early-life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early-life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early-life effects on fitness-related traits.

Psychosocial stressors associated with frailty in community-dwelling older adults in the United States.

Frailty is multifactorial; however, psychosocial stressors contributing to frailty are poorly understood. This study aimed to examine whether gender, race/ ethnicity, and education are associated with differential exposure to psychosocial stressors, determine psychosocial stressors contributing to frailty, and explore the mediating psychosocial stressors pathway. This cross-sectional study involved 7679 community-dwelling older adults (≥65) from the Health and Retirement Study (2006 and 2008 waves). Psychosocial stressors such as loneliness, low subjective social status, financial strain, poor neighborhood cohesion, everyday discrimination, and traumatic life events were measured. Frailty was defined by the Fried phenotype measure. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine the association of gender, race/ethnicity, and education with psychosocial stressors, psychosocial stressors associated with frailty, and the mediating psychosocial stressors pathway. Females experienced greater financial strain but lower discrimination (both p < 0.05). Older adults who identified as Hispanic, Black, and racially or ethnically minoritized experienced low subjective social status, high financial strain, low neighborhood cohesion, and high discrimination than their White counterparts (all p < 0.05). Those with lower education experienced high loneliness, low subjective social status, high financial strain, low neighborhood cohesion but lower traumatic life events (all p < 0.05). Psychosocial stressors: High loneliness, low subjective social status, high financial strain, and low neighborhood cohesion (all p < 0.05) independently increased the odds of frailty. The mediating pathway of psychosocial stressors was not significant. CONCLUSION: Disparities exist in exposure to psychosocial stressors associated with frailty. Multilevel interventions are needed to reduce the influence of psychosocial stressors on frailty.

The socioeconomic consequences of loneliness: Evidence from a nationally representative longitudinal study of young adults

The negative health consequences of loneliness have led to increasing concern about the economic cost of loneliness in recent years. Loneliness may also incur an economic burden more directly, by impacting socioeconomic position. Much of the research to date has focused on employment status which may not fully capture socioeconomic position and has relied on cross-sectional data, leaving questions around the robustness of the association and reverse causation. The present study used longitudinal data to test prospective associations between loneliness and multiple indicators of social position in young adulthood, specifically, whether participants who were lonelier at age 12 were more likely to be out of employment, education and training (NEET) and lower on employability and subjective social status as young adults. The data were drawn from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a birth cohort of 2,232 individuals born in England and Wales during 1994–1995. Loneliness and subjective social status were measured at ages 12, 18 and 26. Employability and NEET status were assessed at age 18. Findings indicate that greater loneliness at age 12 was prospectively associated with reduced employability and lower social status in young adulthood. The association between loneliness and lower social status in young adulthood was robust when controlling for a range of confounders using a sibling-control design. Results also indicate that loneliness is unidirectionally associated with reduced subjective social status across adolescence and young adulthood. Overall, our findings suggest that loneliness may have direct costs to the economy resulting from reduced employability and social position, underlining the importance of addressing loneliness early in life.

A Deconstructive Analysis of Edwin Robinson’s Richard Cory

This literary research focused on the deconstructive analysis of the poem of Edwin Arlington Robinson’s Richard Cory. This theory claims that language is everything and that language never leaves us with the reality of the referent. The Deconstruction criticism of the text in this paper followed three stages: Verbal, Textual, and Linguistic. “Richard Cory” is one of the poems written by Edwin Arlington Robinson. The poem talks about people's high and low social status in a particular community, physical appearance, and the reality of life. From the title to the poem's content, the readers can have different interpretations and meanings of it. Results have shown that Richard Cory's poem has gotten new meanings and interpretations based on the researchers' ideologies and subjectivities. This study concludes that the newly discovered and given meanings of “Richard Cory” can still have another alternative meaning based on another reader’s or person’s point of view.

Between Suspicion and Benevolence: How the Social Status of Initiators Plays a Role in Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Assessments of Citizens’ Initiatives

Citizens with lower social status are underrepresented in participatory democratic innovations like citizens’ initiatives. Much research focuses on the barriers to participation that these citizens experience. The current study concentrates on civil servants tasked with advising on what initiatives to support and how. Informed by research on the social construction of target groups and the use of social stereotypes by civil servants, our work scrutinizes how the social status of initiators plays a role in the assessments of citizens’ initiatives. Grounded on vignette-based, in-depth interviews with civil servants, we conclude that social status does indeed play a role. Contrary to the conventional understanding, we find that: (1) high-status initiators are met with suspicion and low-status initiators with benevolence; and (2) high-status initiators are offered hands-off support, while those with a low status are provided with hands-on help to carry out their plans.

Drivers of Disrespect and Abuse in Obstetric Care: An Integrated Review

Pregnancy and childbirth are pivotal moments in a woman's reproductive journey, demanding compassionate and respectful care to ensure safe motherhood. Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) upholds the dignity and rights of women during labor and childbirth, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to safeguard against mistreatment. Despite global attention, obstetric violence, encompassing mistreatment, disrespect, and abuse, persists worldwide. This integrative review explores the drivers of disrespect and abuse (D&amp;A) within obstetric care, focusing on antenatal, intra-partum, and postnatal settings. The study synthesizes evidence from diverse literature sources, revealing socio-demographic factors as key drivers, particularly affecting women of lower social status. Structural deficiencies, provider biases, and cultural barriers exacerbate mistreatment, underscoring the need for comprehensive reforms. Findings emphasize the urgent need for patient-centered approaches, cultural competence training, and systemic improvements to ensure equitable and respectful maternal care. Recommendations include prioritizing woman-centered care, enhancing healthcare provider training, fostering supportive environments, and empowering communities to report instances of mistreatment. Stakeholders are urged to address workforce challenges, prioritize training, and enhance support for marginalized mothers. This review contributes to the discourse on maternal health and human rights, advocating for dignified maternity care as a fundamental component of comprehensive maternal healthcare services.

Transcriptional programming of social hierarchy

In this issue of Neuron, Choi and colleagues1 uncover the direct role of the transcription factor Pou3f1 in regulating dominance hierarchy in mice. Pou3f1 accomplishes this role via its action in specific prefrontal projection neurons that regulate behaviors associated with low social status.

Green marketing and the purchasing decision oriented towards sustainable consumption

Sustainable and environmentally friendly consumption is a current trend, so marketing strategies focused on this doctrine have taken its name green marketing or green marketing. The present research is oriented to analyze green marketing from the perspective of sustainable consumption, for this purpose a correlational study was used between the two variables of green marketing study mediated by four dimensions: sustainability, price, quality, and durability proposed in four scenarios of purchase decision, segmenting consumers by age, gender, economic and social status and level of education. The main results show that women tend to buy sustainable products regardless of their level of education and that young people are the age groups that show the greatest interest in environmental care. The correlation matrix reflects that the male gender is more inclined to price and quality of products rather than sustainability. Low, medium, and high economic and social status are inclined towards the purchase scenario where sustainability goes hand in hand with price, quality, and durability of products.

Women's empowerment and its role in household food security to achieve SDGs: Empirical evidence from rural Bangladesh

AbstractWomen in developing countries are often characterized by lower social status, less input into decision‐making, lack of access to resources, and lower mobility, while their inclusion is vital to achieving household food security. This concept is recognized as important for attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs), including SDG‐5 (gender equality). This study investigated the level of women's empowerment (WE) and its determinants, household food security, and the connections between WE and food security in farming households in Bangladesh. Using primary data collected from 350 households and applying the modified project‐level WE in Agriculture Index, this study found that less than 1% of women were empowered. Poisson regression evidenced that women's years of schooling, household size, farm type, and having household members working away were positively associated with WE, while the farm's distance from home was negatively related. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale revealed that only 18% of households were food secure. Partial least squares structural equation modeling showed that three domains of empowerment—access to decisions on financial services, input in agricultural decisions, and ownership of assets—were negatively associated with household food insecurity, while mobility was positively related. This study shows, a realistic policy is needed to achieve food security through empowering rural women to achieve SDGs in a timely manner.

N17 Exploration of medication non-adherence in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients: A systematic review

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has recognised medications to maintain remission and prevent relapse. Yet between 53–75% of people with IBD do not take medications as prescribed. Identifying and improving medication adherence in IBD is a primary treatment goal to keep symptoms quiescent. This systematic review aims to identify why people are adherent and non-adherent to IBD medications. Methods Studies exploring medication adherence for IBD conducted between 2012-2022, were identified in six electronic databases. The quality of quantitative and qualitative studies was assessed using a scoring system or the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme, respectively. Results 39,603 participants were included across 79 studies investigating IBD medication adherence, mainly from single outpatient clinic populations, using cross-sectional surveys. Most data were quantitative, rated medium quality. Few studies were based around a theory to explain adherence. Non-adherence was most typically measured using a version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale or the study’s own self-report questionnaire, with non-adherence ranging from 4.3%-88.9%. In multivariable analysis of quantitative data, younger age and female gender were usually associated with non-adherence. The presence of smoking, psychological issues (depression, treatment concerns, anxiety) or lower social status were also significant non-adherence risk factors. Most typically investigated were clinical variables, many being significantly related with non-adherence, including medication type (specifically 5-ASA), route (oral, rectal, subcutaneous, intravenous), high and low disease activity and poor disease/medication knowledge. Significant results were often contradictory between studies, as was the relationship direction with non-adherence. Forgetting medication was the main reason for non-adherence in qualitative interviews, with side effects, costs, medication concerns and busy lifestyle also variables. Cohort-specific factors were reported for non-adherence in pregnant women, adolescents and patients during COVID.Conclusion Adherence to treatment is essential in IBD. Yet a large and confusing literature exists regarding factors underpinning non-adherence. Clinicians should be aware of those non-modifiable factors, to help identify relevant patients and support their treatment programme. Potentially modifiable factors including medication regimes, route and patient knowledge, could be targeted to improve adherence in IBD. Theoretically informed interventions need to be developed. A successful evidence-based intervention supporting medication adherence could help improve quality of life for patients living with IBD, whilst providing patient-centred care and minimising health costs.