Patterns Of Inequality Research Articles

Educational Inequality and Household Dynamics in India: Exploring the Role of Caste Capital

The article uses caste capital as a conceptual tool to analyze educational inequalities by looking at the household-level differences and school differentiation among different caste groups in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. Caste capital is the social, cultural, and economic assets associated with the hierarchical ranking of a group, which privileged groups could utilize to take advantage of disprivileged others. This includes an informed and conscious effort to create a cultural environment that values and prioritizes education for social and economic advancement. Based on a field survey at the household level, the findings indicate a strong connection between caste, household type, and school choice. The pattern of educational inequality becomes evident whereby individuals from higher caste backgrounds with more affluent households tend to have better educational opportunities. The findings show how caste hierarchy intersects with school choice, creating a hierarchy of educational opportunities producing and reproducing educational inequalities.

Of deviance and patriarchy: Mechanisms of gender discrimination in public‐sector corruption

AbstractAlthough men are overrepresented among the perpetrators of high‐profile, white‐collar crime, examinations of public‐sector corruption typically reveal little‐to‐no gender differences in participation. Drawing from Steffensmeier's theory of gender inequality in the criminal underworld and Tomaskovic‐Devey and Avent‐Holt's relational theory of inequality, we argue that this apparent equality conceals systematically different patterns of engagement. We hypothesize that bureaucrats and other facilitators are more willing to collaborate with men than with women. Because public‐sector corruption markets are not male dominated, we argue that “gatekeepers” of both genders systematically exclude women from lucrative illegal collaborations. We further hypothesize that patterns of gender inequality are more pronounced in riskier and more profitable public‐sector corruption. We test these hypotheses with data from an original nationally representative survey conducted in Russia in 2018 using models that incorporate controls for explanations that locate gender differences in crime engagement in offender attributes. Our results demonstrate that gender differences in public‐sector corruption are a function of coordination among multiple actors. These relational dynamics advantage Russian men over women in that they are more likely to use less costly types of remuneration and to engage in high‐stakes exchanges with bigger material yields.

Main channels and consequences of the influence of war on educational inequality in society

A new, difficult and tragic research page is opening in domestic sociology – a detailed study of the effects of the Russian-Ukrainian war on all spheres of life of Ukrainian society, its social structure, institutional transformations, economic capabilities, political organization, as well as the daily life of citizens. An integral component of both the institutional structure of society and the everyday life of citizens is the sphere of education with its inherent and constantly reproduced educational inequality. A large-scale war has the potential to quickly and for a long period of time disrupt social order and change established patterns of social inequality in society, particularly in education, unevenly distributing stratified negative effects. With the beginning of large-scale hostilities, the educational infrastructure of Ukraine has suffered almost the greatest destruction since the Second World War. Schools and preschool education institutions have suffered the greatest damage and destruction. A large number of families with their children have been forced to move internally or externally, thus temporarily interrupting the opportunities for children’s education. The article summarizes the results of research in various countries that have experienced short or long-term periods of international or civil wars, which made it possible to identify the main channels of the war’s impact on educational inequality and the corresponding short- and long-term effects of the war. Seven main direct and indirect channels of the war’s impact on educational inequality have been identified, including the destruction of educational infrastructure; lack of teachers due to internal and external displacement, recruitment into the army or death; reduction of state expenditures on education; movement of a large number of adults and children; redistribution of power and wealth in society; the growth of poverty, the reassessment and change of priorities regarding education within the family; deterioration of children’s physical and mental health, malnutrition, stress, trauma, feeling of insecurity. Short- and longterm effects on the educational achievements of children are formed through channels of influence, which take the form of stratified educational losses, a decrease in family expenditures on education, as well as losses in the future lifetime income of individuals.

Cross national patterns in educational inequalities in functional limitations among middle aged and older adults at two time points

IntroductionIn recent decades, the global population has aged rapidly while socioeconomic inequalities in health have widened, with older adults who are most disadvantaged experiencing the poorest health. Functional limitations are key predictors of disability and quality of life and are therefore considered an important measure of how well individuals and populations are aging. We determine if educational inequalities in functioning have widened over time and across countries. MethodsWe used data from five nationally representative surveys of aging, covering 14 high- and middle-income countries, with harmonized measures of functional limitations. We examined change over time in the number of functional limitations among adults aged 50-64 and 65 and older in each country as well as changes in educational inequality in functional limitations over time for both age groups. ResultsIn most high-income countries, the number of functional limitations decreased over time, but they increased in China and Mexico, with the largest increases occurring among adults 65 and older. Educational inequality in functional limitations among those aged 65 and older widened for several countries in our study, but for different reasons. In some countries, it widened due to increased limitations among the least-educated, while in others it widened due to declines in limitations among the most-educated. ConclusionGrowing educational inequality in functional limitations for older adults in several high- and middle-income countries suggests that, despite improvements in health and mortality, socioeconomic differences in functional health among older adults are widening.

Gender Inequality in Economic Participation: A Socio-Economic Analysis in Indonesia

This research addresses gender inequality in economic participation in Indonesia, an issue that poses a barrier to sustainable development and social equality. Although there has been an increase in women's participation in the economic sector, women's labor participation rate is still significantly lower than men's, with an average labor participation rate of 83-84% for men and only 50-53% for women (BPS, 2018-2023). Various social and structural barriers, including patriarchal culture and the burden of domestic responsibilities, limit women's role in the public sector. This study uses descriptive analysis to evaluate trends and patterns of gender inequality in the Indonesian economy from 2018 to 2023, utilizing data from BPS. The findings show that gender inequality in economic participation disadvantages women and slows national economic growth. With more inclusive policies, Indonesia can correct this imbalance and increase its potential productivity and economic competitiveness.

Gender inequality in Chinese Civil Service System: Dilemma Faced by the Female in the VUCA world

The role and socio-economic status of women in the public/private sphere are deeply influenced by a country’s historical, political, economic, and social policy development. In today’s VUCA era, the pattern of gender inequality still highlights women’s disadvantages in education, employment, social security treatment, and political participation. In such a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous era, Asian women prefer the relative stability and security of the civil service in their employment choices. Still, they are often disadvantaged in the workplace due to gender discrimination. Despite the measures taken by the Chinese government, the important goal of achieving social equality between men and women has remained an unfinished political agenda due to the lack of a holistic redistributive mechanism that promotes gender equality. In the future, the awakening of women themselves and the development of gender mainstreaming strategies and social policies will have a profound impact on the realization of gender equality in China.

Future patterns of health inequalities in the population of England to 2040: a microsimulation study

Abstract Introduction The existence of wide inequalities in health across England is well-documented. Our research adds to this evidence on inequalities in self-reported health by describing current patterns and projecting future patterns of inequality in diagnosed illness across multiple conditions by deprivation. Methods We used the IMPACTNCD microsimulation model that simulates a close-to-reality synthetic population of adults in England from 2019 to 2040. This model combines individual-level data on demographics, health and mortality from linked administrative data for primary and secondary care with survey responses on individual-level risk factors and epidemiological evidence on the associations between risk factors and chronic illness. This model can be adapted for other countries based on data availability. We used the Cambridge Multimorbidity Score (CMS) as our multimorbidity measure. This assigns a weight to 20 common long-term conditions based on individuals’ healthcare use and their likelihood of death. We further focus on “major illness” which corresponds to a CMS greater than 1.5. Results In preliminary results, we project that health inequalities are not projected to improve between 2019 and 2040. In 2019, the difference in the average time spent without major illness between the most and least deprived 10% of areas in England was 10.4 years. This is projected to remain largely unchanged at 10.7 years (8.8, 11.7). We also find that in 2019, the share of working age people living with major illness in the most deprived 10% of areas in England (14.6%) was more than double the rate seen in the least deprived 10% of areas (6.3%). In 2040, we project these rates to remain largely unchanged at 15.2% (13.0%, 17.6%) and 6.8% (5.4%, 9.1%) respectively. Discussion On current trends, health inequalities are projected to persist into the future. This has significant implications not just for population health but for labour supply and wider economic growth. Key messages • If current trends in risk factors continue into the future, existing wide inequalities in diagnosed illness in England are projected to persist onto 2040. • With significant disparities in major illness among the working-age population, this has implications not just for population health but for labour supply and wider economic growth.

Heterogeneity in health and lifestyle among preschool children with migrant background in Sweden

Abstract Background Parental country of birth and socioeconomic status affect children’s health, lifestyle, and access to care. But inequality patterns may vary depending on the outcome and indicator being studied. While prior studies have focused on single health outcomes, this study assessed the relationship between parental migrant status and a range of health and lifestyle indicators among 3-year-old children. Methods Using an outcome-wide approach, we analyzed data from cross-sectional population-based surveys of 3-year-old (2014-2018) in Northern Sweden, which included 9,099 children aged 33-42 months. The surveys were administered to parents. Logistic and linear regressions were performed to examine the association between parents’ place of birth and outcome indicators. Additionally, we controlled for parents’ income and education using multiple regression models. Results Children with at least one migrant parent were perceived by their parents to have poorer health (OR:1.5, CI:1.01-2.36) and more socio-emotional problems (OR: 2.8, CI: 2.20-3.59) compared to those with two Swedish parents. While there were no significant differences in estimated BMI, lifestyle indicators showed that these children consumed more sweets (OR:4.5, CI: 3.02-6.58), less milk (OR: 1.3, CI: 1.09-1.55), fewer vegetables (OR:1.6; CI: 1.22-2.05) and brushed their teeth less frequently (OR: 2.8, CI: 2.17-3.53). However, they spent more time playing outdoors on weekdays (OR:1.6, CI:1.22-2.00) and weekends (OR: 1.5, CI: 1.18-1.94), but screen time remained consistent between weekdays and weekends. Conclusions Parental migrant status has varying impacts on children’s health and lifestyle, with some indicators showing worse outcomes for children with migrant parents compared to those with Swedish parents, while others do not. An outcome-wide approach is crucial for targeted actions to strengthen protective factors and mitigate risk factors, and ultimately reduce inequalities in early childhood. Key messages • The link between parental migrant status and children’s well-being is complex. Not all indicators show worse outcomes, inequality patterns vary based on the specific outcome and indicator measured. • An outcome-wide approach is crucial to identify action areas for targeted interventions to reinforce protective factors and mitigate risk factors, and ultimately reduce inequalities during childhood.

Socioeconomic background and childhood cancer survival in Germany – A nationwide register study

Abstract Introduction Evidence is accumulating that not all children with cancer have benefitted equally from diagnostic and therapeutic improvements and that socioeconomic conditions are also associated with prognosis - even in high-income countries where equal access to healthcare is presumed. We investigated the association between area-based socioeconomic background and childhood cancer survival in Germany with the ultimate aim to identify groups of children that may benefit from supportive interventions. Methods We identified all children with a first cancer diagnosis before the age of 15 years in 1997-2016 from the German Childhood Cancer Registry (N = 35,443). Based on individual residential address information (at diagnosis) we applied the German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation as measure of area-based socioeconomic background. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we assessed the association between absolute area-based socioeconomic deprivation (AASD) and ten-year overall survival (OS) to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results The Cox analysis (adjusted for diagnostic year, birth year and place of residence) revealed a null association for AASD and OS from all cancers combined (HR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.97; 1.03). Among children diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and germ cell tumors, a higher AASD (implying more severe levels of deprivation) was associated with worse survival, particularly pronounced in boys (HR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.01; 1.37; HR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.13; 2.45, respectively). The opposite was observed for childhood CNS tumours, yielding worse survival by decreasing AASD (HR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.88; 0.98) for both malignant and non-malignant CNS tumours. Conclusions Contrary to reports from other European countries, we found little evidence for pronounced social inequalities in childhood cancer survival in Germany based on a composite score, with inconsistent patterns across cancer types and age at diagnosis. Key messages • We found little evidence for pronounced social inequalities in childhood cancer survival in Germany on the area-based level. • Our findings indicated inconsistent patterns of social inequalities across cancer types and age at diagnosis.and age at diagnosis.

Gendered administrative burden: regulating gendered bodies, labor, and identity

Abstract Gendered burdens are experiences of coercive and controlling state actions that directly regulate gendered bodies, labor, and identity. Burdens are not simply about preventing access to rights and benefits, they're about control and coercian. Gendered burdens generate gender inequality through four mechanisms. First, administrative burdens regulate reproductive bodies, legitimating the state’s direct control over reproductive health care, including abortions, with consequent implications for peoples’ health. Second, burdens require reproductive labor, shifting unpaid and underpaid reproductive labor onto women as the policies that support such labor tend to have high administrative burdens that impede access. Third, gendered burdens restrict reproductive labor, impeding the right to provide such care labor with dignity, by exerting control over how, and sometimes whether, care is performed, including in rights-granting venues, like redistributive benefits, and rights-depriving venues, like the supervision of families by child protective services. Fourth, burdens regulate gendered identities, reinforcing heteronormative and cis-normative constructions of gender, including by directly controlling gender identification. While gendered burdens are not only experienced by women, they are most strongly applied to poor and racially marginalized groups of women. These claims provide a basis for public administration scholarship to connect with feminist theory by illustrating the centrality of administrative processes and related experiences to structural patterns of inequality.

Striving for Equity: Examining Health Disparities in Urologic Oncology.

Health disparities in urologic oncology, particularly in prostate, bladder, kidney, and testicular cancers, significantly impact patient outcomes across different demographic groups. This narrative review aims to investigate the extent and drivers of these disparities, focusing on the influence of race, socioeconomic status, and geographic location on diagnosis, treatment, and survival outcomes. We conducted a comprehensive review of the existing literature and analyzed data from national cancer databases to identify patterns of inequity. Our findings reveal that minority populations, individuals with lower socioeconomic status, and those residing in underserved areas are less likely to receive timely and guideline-based care, leading to worse outcomes. This review underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions, including policy reforms, health system restructuring, enhanced community outreach, and increased funding for disparity-focused research, to ensure equitable access to high-quality oncologic care. Addressing these disparities is crucial for improving cancer outcomes and achieving health equity in urologic oncology.

Discrimination backfires? Minority ethnic disparities in vaccine hesitancy

A number of minority ethnic groups (MEGs) exhibited persistent reluctance to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This paper attempts to empirically identify some of the contentious behavioral determinants for vaccine hesitancy (VH) that remain unexplained including the role of risk perceptions, trust in government institutions, and prior experiences of racism and trauma. We draw on unique longitudinal data from a minority-boosted sample that was collected in the United Kingdon (UK). We document robust evidence of MEG disparities in VH, which declined between November 2020 and March 2021. While VH is associated to both historical and current distrust in government, risk beliefs, exposure to racism, and an individuals socio-economic background, these factors do not fully explain MEG disparities. Furthermore, similar patterns of inequality are observed when we examine MEG disparities in healthcare use, suggesting that disparities in VH reflect broader unobservable structural barriers to healthcare access.

A 20-year analysis of gender trends in oncology authorship in the Cochrane database of systematic reviews.

The objective of this study was to evaluate global longitudinal publication trends in oncology in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) from 2001-2020. Retrospective bibliometric analysis. The primary outcome measures were the numbers and percentages of women as first, last, and corresponding author across all CDSR oncology publications. Additional outcomes included authorship differences between countries and percentages of women authors over time compared using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. In total, 548 articles were analyzed. Women were first authors in 52.26% (n=277) and corresponding authors in 50.75% (n=272), respectively. Women represented only 39.4% (n=210) of last authors, significantly less frequent than male counterparts (p < 0.001). The percentage of women last and corresponding authors has increased significantly in the past 20 years (p < 0.05). Countries such as the Netherlands and Australia consistently showed equitable representation in first, corresponding, and last authorship, while other countries such as Italy and China had uniformly low rates of female authorship. Our results highlight patterns of gender inequity in oncology publication authorship in the CDSR from 2001-2020 at a global level. Notably, women were less likely to serve in the last author position which, independent of assigned corresponding authorship, is generally assumed in academic oncology to designate the leader of a published study. Substantive efforts to correct this disparity are needed to achieve gender parity in publicly perceived leadership in oncology publications.

Impact of net zero policy scenarios on air pollution inequalities in England and Wales

BackgroundThe UK is committed to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The suite of policies needed to reach net zero will lead to improvements in air quality and, consequently, could lessen air pollution inequalities. We assessed air pollution inequalities across different sociodemographic groups in England and Wales and explored how these might be differentially impacted by future air pollution projections in 2030 and 2040 under net zero policies. MethodsWe employed a geodemographic classification approach to categorise neighbourhoods into five distinct clusters based on 2021 UK Census sociodemographic variables. We modelled fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations for the year 2019, and predicted concentrations in 2030 and 2040. We compared a business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and two policy pathways to achieve net zero currently considered by the UK government. We aggregated air pollution concentrations to the neighbourhood level and assessed differential neighbourhood-level concentrations across the geodemographic groups using descriptive statistics and box plots. ResultsThe Urban Central Professionals group experienced 14 µg/m3 higher average NO2 concentrations compared with the Rural Elderly group in 2019. Despite substantial improvements to air quality in 2030 and 2040 of up to 6.3 µg/m3 for NO2 based on BAU, and further reductions of up to 2.4 µg/m3 NO2 under net zero policies, the overall pattern of inequality persists, but is predicted to be less pronounced. ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate the effectiveness of targeted policies and innovations in reducing both air quality and greenhouse gas emissions and in bridging the environmental inequality gap. Our findings are essential to develop targeted communication campaigns to secure acceptance and willingness across the sociodemographic spectrum to support the significant behavioural changes needed to achieve net zero, by highlighting the wider co-benefits to the environment and health of such policies.

Multi-scale analysis of urban forests and socioeconomic patterns in a desert city, Phoenix, Arizona

Understanding the relationship between various socioeconomic factors and urban forest structure is essential for directing resources to ensure equitable distribution of green space. Through a case study of a desert city, i.e., Phoenix, AZ, this study provides a novel application of Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) in which we explore the spatially variable relationships between a wide array of socioeconomic indicators and urban forest attributes. Through the computation of various scales of influence for different explanatory variables, MGWR enhances our analysis’s precision and stresses the association between socioeconomic status and urban forest structure at local and regional scales. Our results indicate that although there has been a pattern of green inequality where minority and low-income communities have less access to urban forests, education levels were mostly insignificant based on the MGWR results. In some instances, higher incomes are negatively correlated with tree canopy coverage. Additionally, the stem density model outperformed the canopy coverage model in terms of prediction accuracy. This research adds a new dimension to urban forestry literature and emphasizes the value of customized urban planning strategies and the environmental justice implications of urban forestry, particularly in arid environments.

Quantifying the inequality of urban electric power consumption and its evolutionary drivers in countries along the belt and road: Insights from satellite perspective

Understanding regional inequalities in electricity resources is crucial for achieving sustainable development goals, yet relevant spatiotemporal information remains limited. This study develops a systematic framework using multi-source nighttime light remote sensing data and geographical methods to reveal the inequality in electric power consumption (EPC) and its drivers along the Belt and Road (B&R) countries from 2000 to 2019. The findings show that EPC in the B&R region increased by 8.8 trillion kWh over the past 20 years, with a shift in its geographic center, highlighting mid-latitude cities as major growth hotspots. Differences in between-group and within-group inequality patterns across various spatial scales lead to a scale effect on EPC inequality. The overall EPC inequality of B&R decreased by 20 % between 2000 and 2019, with inequality between countries being the main contributor, accounting for about 70 %. However, at the national level, within-province inequality is the predominant source in most countries. The analysis identifies three key drivers, with affluence having a more significant positive impact on EPC inequality than population or electricity dependence. These findings are valuable for the sustainable development of urban energy and regional electricity resource planning amidst long-term geographical changes.

Street tree communities reflect socioeconomic inequalities and legacy effects of colonial planning in Nairobi, Kenya

Street trees provide ecological and social benefits that sustain urban life, yet their distribution frequently mirrors socioeconomic inequalities, meaning underprivileged social groups also have fewer trees. The distribution patterns of urban trees are least documented in the cities of rapidly evolving middle-income countries. We assessed whether street tree abundance, size, condition, diversity, and composition vary across census-derived socioeconomic strata in Nairobi, Kenya. We sampled 2047 trees across 12 neighborhoods, covering 24 km of street, then used linear regression to understand how socioeconomic strata relate to street tree characteristics. We found substantial disparities in tree abundance, with affluent areas harboring 91.5 % of the trees sampled. Low-income areas and informal settlements had comparably few trees. Mean diameter and condition did not vary across socioeconomic strata, but high-income, formerly European neighborhoods had a higher proportion of small trees, indicating a bias in recent urban greening investments further benefiting these areas. Species diversity followed a similar pattern of inequality. High-income neighborhoods had over 30 % higher species richness and diversity than low-income areas. Even so, lower income neighborhoods exhibited greater differences in street tree community composition, and a higher proportion of trees that bear edible fruit or are used in traditional medicine. Overall, our results reveal pronounced spatial inequality in the distribution of street trees in Nairobi, reflecting not only socioeconomic differences but the enduring legacies of colonial planning.

Revealing the Diversity and Complexity behind Long-Term Income Inequality in Latin America: 1920–2011

This paper analyzes and documents a new long-term income inequality series for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela based on dynamic social tables with four occupational groups. This enables the calculation of comparable Overall (four groups) and Labor Ginis (three groups) with their between- and within-group components. The main findings are the absence of a unique inequality pattern over time; country outcomes characterized by trajectory diversity and level divergence during industrialization and by commonality and convergence post-1980; the occurrence of inequality-leveling episodes with different timing and length; and significant changes in trends, but also evidence indicating persistence. The income-inequality dataset is included as supplementary material.

Hidden patterns of inequality: The heterogeneity in parenting within educational groups

When sociology deals with differences within groups of similar socioeconomic status, research and theorizing tend to focus on the heterogeneity among the socioeconomically advantaged thus representing the socioeconomically disadvantaged as homogeneous. This study is a case of the opposite. For at set of high-stake cultural practices, parental strategies for social reproduction, I find most heterogeneity among socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers. Using data from the NLSY-CYA, I provide novel descriptive statistics of the variance in parenting by maternal education and analyze the determinants of these differences employing a variance function regression. I find an educational gradient in the heterogeneity of cognitively stimulating parenting: the variance is highest among mothers with no high school diploma and shrinks among mothers with more education. That is, mothers with the least amount of education show the most diversity in parenting. This educational gradient is associated with inequality in mothers’ family of origin, cognitive skills, and current economic situation. This result suggests that the systematic differences in heterogeneity stem from (1) selection into education based on family-of-origin characteristics and cognitive skills, where the non-deterministic sorting makes the least educated the most heterogeneous, and (2) the effect of education on mothers’ economic situation, where education decreases uncertainty and thereby makes the most educated the most homogeneous group. Moreover, the study calls for bringing attention to the potential larger heterogeneity in cultural practices among the socioeconomically disadvantaged and provides a theoretical framework for understanding this heterogeneity. This approach challenges stereotypes and deepens sociological understanding of inequality.

Older women’s constructions of equality over the lifecourse

Abstract Gender and age are central organising principles of social relations, with socially constructed gendered and age-based norms influencing patterns of social behaviour, power and inequality. Despite recent literature highlighting the importance of subjective measures of equality, including as a significant predictor of wellbeing, there is a gap in studies focused on subjective equality in research on ageing. Drawing on an equality ranking exercise and life herstory interviews with 20 older-aged women (65+) in Aotearoa New Zealand, this article focuses on the intersectionality of age and gender, analysing the ways in which participants constructed their experiences of equality over the lifecourse from their standpoint as older-aged women. The analysis reveals a significant rise in subjective equality from childhood to older age, with more varied responses in childhood and a convergence of responses from adolescence onwards. Participants’ constructions of equality differed: age was the dominant construct of equality women ascribed to their childhood years, while gender inequality came to the fore during their teenage years. In early to mid-adulthood, women found ways to navigate gendered inequality in various life domains, while in older adulthood equality was constructed as freedom and life satisfaction. This trajectory suggests that the frames individuals use to make sense of equality and their personal experiences are not fixed; they are fluid and shift throughout the lifecourse.