Lower School Research Articles

Homicides in southern South American cities: educational inequalities and economic fluctuations

Information on how economic fluctuations affect educational inequalities in homicides in Latin America is scarce. This study aimed to: (a) analyze the temporal variations of educational inequalities related to homicide mortality and (b) compare these inequalities between years of economic growth and recession in southern South America cities from 2000 to 2019. Data from seven urban areas in three countries in the Southern Cone of South America were used: Mendoza and Rosario (Argentina); Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo (Brazil); and Santiago (Chile). Poisson models were estimated by using age, sex, city of residence, year of economic growth or recession, and schooling level as explanatory variables. Results showed significant differences in the temporal evolution of homicide rates in the seven cities, although populations with a low schooling level always showed the most vulnerability. The four Brazilian cities, analyzed together, showed greater educational inequalities related to homicides in years of economic recession when compared to those of economic growth. On the one hand, the indiscriminate use of force by the State against criminal groups seems to increase social inequality in homicide mortality. On the other hand, criminal fragmentation and economic crisis can exacerbate these inequalities by increasing territorial disputes between criminal groups.

Income and education level trajectories and changes in the daily consumption of vegetables after thirteen years of follow-up: the Pró-Saúde Study.

This study aimed to examine whether education level and income trajectories influence vegetable consumption changes over 13 years among civil servants at different campuses of a university in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Vegetable intake frequency (daily and non-daily consumption), income (per capita), and education level (maintenance of low schooling/ upward mobility/maintenance of high schooling) were assessed at baseline (1999) and in the fourth wave (2011-12) of the Pró-Saúde (Pro-Health) cohort study. A total of 2,381 participants were analyzed. The association between educational and income trajectories and variation in vegetable consumption was assessed via crude and age-adjusted generalized linear models, stratified by sex. Men in upward educational mobility showed a 0.5% increase in vegetable consumption (p=0.01), while women in this group demonstrated a 2.5% increase (p=0.05). Adjusted models showed that women who reduced their income had a lower likelihood of consuming vegetables (odds ratio [OR] 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89-0.97). The findings highlight the influence of social inequalities on vegetable consumption in adults.

Insecurity and Education: Implications for the Achievement of Better Education Service Delivery for All (Besda) in Kebbi State

Insecurity in Nigeria is not only about attacks on religious centres, markets, and security posts. It is also about attacks on schools, which makes them insecure leading to low school enrolment, attendance and completion rates while increasing the number of out-of-school children, and at the same time placing many areas in Nigeria in an educationally disadvantaged position, with greater risks of missing out on education, perpetuating inequalities and marginalisation. This paper therefore assessed the impact of insecurity on Nigeria’s education system and its implications for the realisation of Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) in Kebbi State. The paper identified unsafe schools, abduction, sexual harassment, and killing of students, teachers and school administrators as various effects of insecurity that have led to school closures not only in Kebbi State but across the North West region. It has also considered the consequences of insecurity including school drop-outs, low school enrolment, attendance, completion rates, and destruction of school facilities, learning loss, and fear among students. The paper therefore suggests that the government and other education stakeholders should take comprehensive security strategies such as the safe school initiative to curb the issue of insecurity in schools in Kebbi State.

The Role of Social Categories and the Social Climate for the Development of Well-Being in Elementary School Students

Abstract: School well-being is shaped by person- and context-specific factors and is a target criterion of educational processes. However, only little is known about the development of students’ school well-being during elementary school, including the role of (intersecting) social categories and the social context. The present study examines changes in elementary students’ school well-being (liking to go to school), the link to students’ gender and immigrant background, their intersection, and the perceived class climate. The sample included data from 2,395 third- and fourth-graders (48 % girls; MAgeT1 = 9.31 years, SDAgeT1 = 0.47) from a German longitudinal study. Linear growth curve models demonstrated a significant decline in school well-being over time. Boys without an immigrant background reported particularly low school well-being; class climate was positively related to students’ well-being. The study contributes to a better understanding of the intersectionality of various social categories and contextual influences related to developmental changes in elementary students’ school well-being.

Gesto motor: uma lacuna entre habilidades motoras e avaliação do movimento

Abstract A developmental disorder can be reflected in the subject’s motricity, which justifies the qualitative observation of movement aimed at screening and even diagnosing disabilities and developmental disorders. However, adolescents with low school performance show unusual motor manifestations not observed in the general population and that do not necessarily reveal themselves in motor or functional skills, but in the quality and proportion of the movement in relation to the act. Based on the scarce literature on this phenomenon, this article aims to address the construct that we call motor gesture, contributing to a reflection in the field of Physical Education, aiming to improve its technical, scientific and pedagogical processes for the inclusion of the studied population.

Factors associated with delayed diagnosis of leprosy in an endemic area in Northeastern Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to investigate the factors related to the individual and the health system that contribute to delayed diagnosis of leprosy in an endemic area in the Northeastern Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study of 120 individuals with leprosy. Demographic and clinical data and information on the factors related to the individual and the health system that contribute to delayed diagnosis of leprosy were obtained. Delayed diagnosis in months was estimated for each participant by interviews. A multivariate Poisson's regression analysis was performed between the outcome and the independent variables. The median delay in the diagnosis of leprosy was 10.5 (4.0-24.0) months. Approximately 12.6% of participants had grade 2 disability (G2D) at the time of diagnosis. In the multivariate Poisson regression analysis, males, older age, low schooling level, residing in urban areas, multibacellar or tuberculoid leprosy, not seeking healthcare immediately after symptom onset, suspected leprosy, excessive referrals, and the need for three or more consultations to confirm the diagnosis were associated with longer diagnostic delay. This study found a significant delay in the diagnosis of leprosy in Arapiraca, Northeastern Brazil, which may explain the continuously high rate of G2D among new cases. Factors related to the individual and the health system were associated with longer diagnostic delay. Interventions to raise awareness of the disease among the general population and strengthen primary health care are urgently needed.

Time living with food insecurity and socio-demographic factors: longitudinal analysis in a city in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil.

Food insecurity (FI) is the lack of daily access for everyone to quality food in sufficient quantity. In many populations, it presents as a chronic and persistent condition. This study analysed the association between the length of time living with FI and socio-demographic conditions in households in a semi-arid municipality in the Brazilian Northeast between 2011 and 2019. This is a population-based cohort study among families in the municipality in Northeast Brazil (2011, 2014 and 2019). FI was estimated through the Escala Brasileira de Insegurança Alimentar (EBIA, Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Measurement Scale), and the longitudinal category of time of living with FI was adopted to classify them according to the time they remained in FI during the cohort. The association with the socio-demographic profiles of the population was verified through multinomial logistic regression. Households in semi-arid, Northeast of Brazil. Household respondents interviewed in 2011, 2014 and 2019 (n 274). Sixty-seven percentage (67 %) of families lived in FI in this period. Rural residence, low monthly per capita income and low schooling of the household reference person increased the chances of these families living longer in FI. These overlapping conditions increased the odds of FI in the household. Coping with FI requires intersectoral intervention that improves the socio-demographic conditions of the population.

Differences between men and women in the prevalence of frailty and associated factors among older adults: evidence from ELSI-Brazil

Based on a national representative sample of the population aged 50 years or older, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of frailty among men and women, identify associated sociodemographic and health factors, and estimate the population attributable fraction. Data from the second wave (2019-2021) of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil) were used. Frailty was classified based on the number of positive items among unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low level of physical activity, slow gait, and weakness. The main analyses were based on multinomial logistic regression stratified by sex. The prevalence of frailty was lower in men (8.6%; 95%CI: 6.9; 10.7) than in women (11.9%; 95%CI: 9.6; 14.8), with the most frequent item being the low level of physical activity in both. Age and schooling level were the sociodemographic factors associated with pre-frailty and fragility among men and women. The population attributable fraction was different for frailty between genders. In men, the highest population attributable fraction was due to not having a partner (23.5%; 95%CI: 7.7; 39.2) and low schooling level (18.2%; 95%CI: 6.6; 29,7). In women, higher population attributable fraction values were due to memory deficit (17.1%; 95%CI: 7.6; 26.6), vision deficit (13.4%; 95%CI: 5.1; 21.7), and diabetes mellitus (11.4%; 95%CI: 4.6; 18,1). Similar population attributable fraction levels were observed for heart disease (8.9%; 95%CI: 3.8; 14.1 in women and 8.8%; 95%CI: 2.0; 15.6 in men). Strategies aimed at physical activity have the potential to prevent frailty in both men and women, and the prevention of chronic conditions is more important in women.

Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and School Well-Being in Students

Low school well-being is still experienced by students which can have an impact on low academic outcomes. One factor that can improve school well-being is basic psychological needs satisfaction at school. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between basic psychological needs Satisfaction at School with school well-being in students. The subjects of the study were 300 X students in Makassar. The criteria for the research subjects are students of the class of 2022, the Bugis tribe and the Makasaar tribe, willing to be research respondents. Research sampling technique using Multistage non random sampling. Data collection using 2 scales, namely the questionnaire used is the research instrument used is the Brief Adolescents' Subjective Well-Being in School Scale version Indonesian (BASWBSS). and basic Psychological Needs at School Scale (ASBPNSS). Hypothesis testing of this study uses simple regression data analysis techniques using the help of SPSS. The results showed a positive relationship between basic psychological needs Satisfaction at School with school well-being in students.

A Critical Review of Low School Enrollment and Literacy Rates among Girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Patriarchal principles dominate the social structure in Pakistani society. Moreover, Pakistan's culture is firmly anchored in traditions and practices that confine a woman's role to that of procreation, household management, child rearing, cleaning, and food preparation, which significantly reduces their enrollment in formal education. The present study not only provides a critical review of the existing literature but also adds primary data on the problems/challenges closely associated with low school enrollment and literacy among girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A qualitative approach, including unstructured interviews along with secondary data, was adopted in this paper. The findings of the study show that several empirical studies examine the general causes of the low ratio of female education in the study area. However, this empirical work identified gaps in previous scholarly work, particularly from sociological perspectives, intending to inspire further studies from the lenses of local people regarding the low enrollment of female education.

Analysis of the Influencing Factors of China's Birth Rate

The increasingly serious problem, population aging, in China has made people focus more on the factors affecting the fertility rate which plays a key role in affecting population aging. An increasing number of scholars have started to analyze various influencing factors in detail, but since most of them only focus on one or two specific factors, this paper tries to merge the key factors together and conduct the analysis. This paper separates the key factors into three levels: population, social and policy. The conclusion is yielded that people’s unwillingness to have children, unbalanced sex ratio, advanced social security level, high income, high house price, and large education expenditure all contribute to the decrease in social fertility rate. However, the two-child policy and the growing education popularizing rate can help increase the birth rate. In particular, the average schooling year affects the birth rate with a U-shaped relationship, with a relatively low or high schooling year resulting in a high birth rate.

The Evolution of Services for Children with Autism and Developmental Disabilities in Nigeria

ABSTRACT Provision of services for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental disabilities (DD) in Nigeria has been influenced by US and international research and awareness efforts. Forces that impact progress include Nigerian cultural beliefs and family involvement, societal attitudes, inadequate infrastructure and resources, and inconsistent policy and enforcement of disability laws. These forces can impact families both positively and negatively. A lack of standardised teacher training and accreditation programs limit access for students with disabilities to individualised education programs (IEPs) and classroom inclusion. Effective treatments for those with ASD/DD are well-documented, however these effective interventions often do not reach more rural, low-income, or less developed nations or rural, low socioeconomic US schools. The focus of this paper is to thoroughly analyse the evolution of special education and inclusion in Nigeria and the United States and to highlight how US progression influenced Nigeria and the importance of advocating for culturally relevant, low-cost, research-based interventions and outreach African nations such as Nigeria.

Factors associated with low school readiness, a linked health and education data study in Wales, UK

Background School readiness is a measure of a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional readiness to begin formal schooling. Children with low school readiness need additional support from schools for learning, developing required social and academic skills, and catching-up with their school-ready peers. This study aims to identify the most significant risk factors associated with low school readiness using linked routine data for children in Wales. Method This was a longitudinal cohort study using linked data. The cohort comprises of children who completed the Foundation Phase assessment between 2012 and 2018. Individuals were identified by linking Welsh Demographic Service and Pre16 Education Attainment datasets. School readiness was assessed via the binary outcome of the Foundation Phase assessment (achieved/not achieved). This study used multivariable logistic regression model and a decision tree to identify and weight the most important risk factors associated with low school readiness. Results In order of importance, logistic regression identified maternal learning difficulties (adjusted odds ratio 5.35(95% confidence interval 3.97–7.22)), childhood epilepsy (2.95(2.39–3.66)), very low birth weight (2.24(1.86–2.70), being a boy (2.11(2.04–2.19)), being on free school meals (1.85(1.78–1.93)), living in the most deprived areas (1.67(1.57–1.77)), maternal death (1.47(1.09–1.98)), and maternal diabetes (1.46(1.23–1.78)) as factors associated with low school readiness. Using a decision tree, eligibility for free school meals, being a boy, absence/low attendance at school, being born late in the academic year, being a low birthweight child, and not being breastfed were factors which were associated with low school readiness. Conclusion This work suggests that public health interventions focusing on children who are: boys, living in deprived areas, have poor early years attendance, have parents with learning difficulties, have parents with an illness or have illnesses themselves, would make the most difference to school readiness in the population.

Strategies for Low CO2-emission Schools in Norway

Regional and national strategies targeting climate change are a driver for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Municipalities play an important role towards a sustainable society and in restructuring needed to reach the 2030 European Climate targets. They often require that new buildings shall be zero emission and that the building’s carbon footprint shall be reduced compared to a reference building, starting with public buildings. To reach low or zero emission buildings, the production of renewable energy must equal or outweigh the CO2-emissions associated with the building. The energy consumption of the building should be decreased before designing on-site renewable energy generation systems. This is ensured by following a holistic energy design approach: energy conservation, reducing electrical energy, efficient energy management and producing renewable energy. Although Norway has had a focus on low and zero emission buildings, there is a limited number of low CO2-emission schools. These are designed and constructed by various actors. Therefore, the practical experience and knowledge in the industry is scattered and still in development. This paper aims to summarize practical strategies for low CO2-emission schools in Norway. Several case studies were analyzed to identify common traits and interviews were conducted to identify opportunities, challenges and strategies.

Profile and characteristics of violence against older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

to identify the sociodemographic profile and the characteristics of interpersonal violence against older adults during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in a capital city from the Brazilian Southeast region. a descriptive and exploratory research study with a cross-sectional design based on the notifications of suspected or confirmed cases of violence against older adults between March 2020 and March 2021. A univariate statistical analysis and Fisher's exact test (p<0.05) were performed. a total of 2,681 notifications were recorded during the period. The main victims were individuals aged between 60 and 64 years old, female, white-skinned and with low schooling levels. The instances of violence were more frequent in the victims' homes. Physical and psychological violence predominated, through physical force/beatings and threats, respectively. Most of the aggressors were male, younger than the victims and generally their children or intimate partners. The aggressions were perpetrated more than once and were driven by generational conflicts. There was low referral to entities for the protection of older adults. the sociodemographic profile found evidences vulnerable victims, subjected to many types of violence, and at a potential risk against their overall health.

EXAME PAPANICOLAU COMO FERRAMENTA DE PREVENÇÃO DO CÂNCER CÉRVICO UTERINO NO BRASIL: REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

Cervical cancer is caused by a persistent infection with oncogenic subtypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and is one of the most common types of cancer among women in Brazil. The disease has the characteristic of progressing slowly, with no symptoms in the primary phase. The disease is diagnosed through the Pap smear, where cells are collected from the cervix to detect abnormalities. This article aims to identify and recognize the importance of the Pap smear as a tool for preventing cervical cancer in Brazil in the different female age groups, taking into account social, regional, cultural and economic factors. An exploratory literature study was carried out in the category of a bibliographic review, using the databases of the National Cancer Institute (INCA), Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs), Google Scholar and USP's VHL Portal. The majority of the studies showed that there is low adherence among women to the Pap smear as a preventive tool. The discomfort, lack of information about the test, periodicity and its importance, low schooling, low income and religion are the main factors related to not having the test. The Pap smear is an important tool for the prevention of cervical cancer, because when it is carried out periodically it is able to detect lesions early, and consequently start treatment and cure the disease.

Intergenerational occupational mobility in Latin American economies: An empirical approach

Identifying the determinants of intergenerational mobility is an important aim in the development literature. In this article, we examine intergenerational transmission for 6 neglected Latin American Economies (Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and Puerto Rico). We use a multinomial logit model of the determinants of choosing a white-collar job for the child of a father working in farming as compared to a child whose father had a blue- or white-collar job. We find that, in the studied countries, intergenerational occupation transmission is mainly linked to low skilled jobs. Our analysis confirms the low degree of social mobility typical of Latin America, in turn contributing to explaining the low growth rate. Our findings help identify specific target groups – talented young women coming from the agricultural sector – for developing soft skills while at primary or low secondary school and work-related skills while at high secondary school or university.

Relationship between selected teaching cultures and student academic achievement in secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya

The aim of this study was to find out the relationship between selected teaching cultures and academic achievement in the KCSE examination in secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. This study was guided by the theories of educational productivity and organisational culture. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The target population was comprised of all KCSE 2021 candidates and all principals of secondary schools in the county. The study used an outlier approach and a multistage sampling technique. The sample size consisted of 2214 students and 80 principals of schools. The study found a positive relationship between teaching culture and student academic performance in both low and high-performing Kenyan schools. Low-performing schools show a moderately positive correlation (r = 0.450, p = 0.006), while high-performing schools exhibit a notably strong positive correlation (r = 0.846, p = 0.000). This suggests that the impact of teaching culture on student academic achievement is more pronounced in high-performing schools. In public secondary schools, the correlation is moderately positive (r = 0.458), and in private secondary schools, it's a stronger positive correlation (r = 0.724), with both being statistically significant at the 0.05 level. The study recommends that the school management should consider organising in-service training sessions to equip the teachers with appropriate skills on how to effectively embrace teaching cultures, consider putting stringent measures to ensure the emplacement of student disciplinary cultures and consider investing in student motivation cultures that enhance student academic achievement.

Art Rooms: Sites of Empowerment and Success

Students in low socio-economic schools are over-represented in the group of students who leave school without a qualification. This paper derives from a study of New Zealand secondary art teachers

The Influence of Principals’ Mentorship Practices on Students’ Retention in Public-Day Secondary Schools in Nakuru County-Kenya

The purpose of this study was to look into potential relationships or associations between various Principal mentoring practices in the mentorship scheme and student retention at a day secondary school in Nakuru County, Kenya. Low secondary school retention has long been an issue in much of the existing literature, and therefore complex, multifaceted, and poorly understood. The purpose of this research was to find out how principals' student mentorship practices affected student retention in Nakuru County public-day secondary schools. The study found a positive but insignificant relationship between principal mentoring practices and student retention rates in day public secondary schools (p &gt; 05). Based on this finding, principals should strengthen mentorship practices in order to increase student retention and foster a positive learning environment for academic performance.