Risk Of Poverty Research Articles

Gender differences in old-age poverty in 14 EU countries: exploring the role of household structure

The risk of poverty among older people varies widely across countries and between men and women. This is usually explained by reference to institutional differences in pension systems or differences in employment histories. However, many other factors also come into play. In this paper we argue that, to avoid biased conclusions, it is necessary to take into account the role of household structure. This study of 14 European Union (EU) countries investigates the impact of household structure on gender differences in old-age poverty risk. The empirical examination is based on European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC). The findings show that older women’s high poverty risk is strongly related to the financial vulnerability of single-person households and the higher prevalence of female than male single-person households. In addition, gender differences in poverty risk can be attributed to gender differences in household structure. It matters whether the older person lives with another older person or an employed/unemployed person and whether there are minor children in the household. Country differences in the gender poverty gap are linked to country differences in the household age structure and the poverty risks of different types of households.

Model of Family and the Propensity to Build Sustainable Savings Attitudes in the Post-COVID World: A Case Study of Poland

This article investigates the role of the model of family and their savings as a support to growth and source of economic sustainability. The central objective of the present article was to determine the impact of the model of a family on the propensity to save money in the population of Poland. As indicated by independence tests, in most studied cases, the model of a family does not have a key role in sustainable consumption and saving behavior. The only exception are the forms of allocation of the saved capital. The study results suggest that households in Poland hold traditional views on the family model and the allocation of their savings. Decisions in everyday life are often reached together with the partner, which may attest to the growing egalitarian tendencies in Polish families. The research shows that the funds saved monthly by households are not planned in advance but constitute a financial surplus after all the expenses have been paid, which is then set aside as a reserve for the future. Partners usually prefer to have separate bank accounts with funds for day-to-day spending. However, the awareness concerning the forms of allocating capital is still poor, which is confirmed by the fact that most of the financial surplus is kept in the current account. The funds saved this way are spent to satisfy current needs, such as holidays or durable goods, and cover expenses in emergencies, which may be particularly important in the context of minimizing the risk of poverty and social exclusion, which should be prevented in line with the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Determinants of Household Extreme Poverty Among Female-Headed Households in Indonesia: Does Disability Matter?

ABSTRACT This paper investigates factors contributing to extreme poverty among female-headed households in Indonesia, with a specific focus on the impact of disabilities. Analyzing data from the 2021 National Socio-Economic Survey, this research combined both principal component and path analysis to uncover the link between poverty dimensions (isolation, physical weakness, powerlessness, and vulnerability) and extreme poverty. The study revealed that various dimensions influence extreme poverty, and the presence of disabilities within a household exacerbates the risk of extreme poverty and can alter the significance of initially insignificant variables. These findings underscore the critical role of disabilities in shaping extreme poverty outcomes.

A Scoping Review of Income Support Programs Offered to Older Adults Living in South Asian Countries between 2000 and 2021

Income support programs (ISPs) are important social policy measures to reduce the risk of poverty among older adults. Over the years, developing countries including South Asian countries have introduced various ISPs to support the older population. This scoping review will provide information on ISPs for older adults in South Asia and will map the evidence available on the impact of these programs. This scoping review uses the Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) methodology. Older adults living in South Asia were included, and ISPs were considered as the “concept.” Eight electronic databases and organizational/governmental websites were searched for English language publications from January 2000 to May 2021. Four authors independently screened and extracted the data and analyzed it by descriptive statistics. A total of 115 studies provided information on ISPs for older adults and 25 on the impact of these programs. The identified studies covered all types of ISPs; however, government-sponsored or pillar 0 (ISP classification) programs were the most common. They also covered a vast spectrum of all types of study designs. The most common schemes are social pensions that work towards sustainable development goals (Goal 1.3) of social protection for all. Future research should focus on studying the impact of ISPs and expanding the ISPs for older adults in low-coverage countries.

Impact Analysis of Regional Smart Development on the Risk of Poverty among the Elderly

As China continues to introduce policies to promote the construction of smart cities, the governance capacity and living environment of many pilot regions have moved towards smart development and sustainability. In order to reveal the impact of improving regional smart development on the lives of the elderly, we explored the relationship between regional smart development and the risk of poverty in old age. The results show that at present, the development of smart cities continues to grow; the majority of elderly respondents’ poverty risk is general; the development of smart cities at the regional level is effective in reducing the poverty risk of the elderly in the region, with the degree of impact varying by region; and the impact of smart development at the regional level on the risk of poverty in old age varies with different levels of social support. Based on this, suggestions are made to vigorously develop the regional economy, improve the social security mechanism for the elderly, and accelerate the digitalization and humanization of infrastructure so as to better meet the needs of China’s elderly population in the context of high-quality smart development in the region and achieve sustainable development goals.

Determinants of Household Poverty: Identification Using Logistic Regression

The fight against poverty is considered one of the most critical tasks in achieving sustainable development goals. This study aims to identify the key determinants of household poverty in Algeria. The information base is data from the Sixth Cluster Survey (MICS 6) conducted by the National Statistics Office during 2018-2019 with a sample of 31,325 households in each province, which are divided into three groups (poorest, poor, non-poor) using a well-being index, which is based on the data about household assets and living conditions. Polynomial logistic regression was used to model the correlation between the poverty status of households and various demographic (household size, gender, age and education level of the head of the household), socio-economic (employment of the head of the household) and spatial (place of residence (urban/rural), region) characteristics. The results showed that a higher level of education of the head of the household significantly increased the probability of households moving from the “poorest” to the “poor” or “non-poor”. As the age of the household head increases, the likelihood that the household will be non-poor increases. The gender of the head of the household was not a statistically significant factor. The increase in the number of dependents as a factor of creating additional financial pressure and falling into poverty is essential only in a situation of a very drastic change in status – when moving from the status of “non-poor” to “the poorest”. In contrast, a slight change in well-being (a shift from “poor” to “poorest”) is not associated with an increase in the number of household members. Modeling showed that extreme poverty is more common in rural areas than in cities. Regional differences are also revealed, as the poverty level is higher in the southern regions than in the northern ones. The slight increase in household welfare (transition from the category of “poorest” to “poor”) in Algeria is not due to the economic activity of the head of the household. Still, it may be related to the nature of the analyzed data (only the fact of employment was considered without specifying the nature and type of activity). Instead, a significant change in welfare (moving from the category of “non-poor” to “poorest” households) directly depends on whether the head of the household is employed or unemployed. The results of the study are essential in the context of the development of a targeted policy to reduce the poverty risks of Algerian households: increasing the level of education and skills should be a priority, especially for young people and in disadvantaged regions, targeted programs for the development of rural areas and mechanisms for the fair distribution of public investments between provinces are needed to overcome regional disproportions.

Diverse pathways from adolescence to early adulthood among China's rural youth: A new perspective

Past studies examining the transition to adulthood within the Chinese context often implicitly or explicitly assume that the rural population is a homogeneous group and suggest that rural individuals tend to enter the workforce and marry at younger ages than their urban peers. This assumption overlooks the distinct challenges faced by rural youth, who often confront higher poverty risks and greater uncertainties compared to urban counterparts, yet empirical research on these unique challenges is limited. Using both a national survey and a unique longitudinal sample of rural youth in one of the poorest regions of China, this study demonstrates that rural youth experience a greater diversity of pathways from adolescence to early adulthood than do urban youth, which contradicts many earlier studies in Western contexts. In addition, this study identifies a variety of childhood environment factors that structure the transition pathways of rural youth. This study highlights the growing rural–urban disparity in China and has important implications for research on social stratification and rural youth development.

Assessing Factors That Contribute to Low Incomes (As Evident in the Leningrad Region)

The article analyzes factors that increase the risk that a household will fall into poverty. The analysis is based on a representative survey of households in the Leningrad Region of Russia. The survey was carried out in during August and September 2022. The method for collecting sociological information was a standardized interview conducted in person at the respondents’ place of residence. The core sample size was 1,200 households, and an additional sample of 400 low-income households was also canvassed. Regression results indicate higher than average risk of poverty for families with children, especially for families with several children and/or families with children of pre-school age; families in which no one is employed; and families that reside in rural localities. Families with a student in a secondary school for vocational education and single-parent families with children in the household have a significantly higher probability of being classified as low-income. The article maintains that poverty prevention measures would be better targeted if the household poverty threshold were adjusted in response to family composition, including the number of children and their age. Means testing should also take into account not only the mere possession of different types of assets but also their estimated market value. That change would make means testing a more reliable criterion of a family’s need for social support

Analysis of the impact of socio-economic factors on the number of suicide cases in European countries

Suicide rates in Europe have in the recent years reached a disturbingly high level, sparking frequent discussions on the topic of mental health and suicide prevention, which significantly affect not only individuals but also their environment. The aim of this paper was to analyse the impact of the socio-economic situation on suicide rates using panel data analysis. The study presents an overview of the related literature and the definitions of essential terms concerning suicide, as well as the socio-economic factors determining suicide rates. The parameters of a fixed effects model were estimated, interpreted and compared with the results of earlier research. The analysis of the selected dataset showed that GDP per capita and the Gini coefficient have a negative and statistically insignificant impact on suicide rates. On the other hand, the conducted research showed that high divorce and unemployment rates, risk of poverty, social exclusion and excessive alcohol consumption proved to be statistically significant, thus increasing suicide rates.

Individual Placement and Support for persons with alcohol and drug addiction in a Swedish context (IPS-ADAS): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundEmployment is a vital source for experiencing well-being and lowering the risk of long-term social marginalisation and poverty. For persons with alcohol and drug addiction, it may also improve sobriety. However, the unemployment situation for this group reflects the knowledge gap in effective interventions to support employment. While Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is recognised as evidence-based supported employment for those with serious mental health problems, no scientific evidence for the target group of addiction exists to date. The aim of the present IPS for Alcohol and Drug Addiction in Sweden (IPS-ADAS) trial is to study whether IPS has an effect on gaining employment for this group.MethodsThe IPS-ADAS trial is a multisite, pragmatic, parallel, and single-blinded, superiority randomised controlled trial (RCT). Participants (N = 330) will be randomly assigned (1:1) and participate in IPS plus treatment as usual within Addiction Services (IPS + TAU) or Traditional Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR) available plus TAU (TVR + TAU) for 12 months. The principle of intention-to-treat (ITT) will be applied. The hypothesis is that a significantly larger proportion of IPS + TAU participants will be employed for > 1 day (primary outcome), reach employment sooner, work more hours and longer periods of time, and have a higher income as compared to TVR + TAU participants at 18-month follow-up. We further anticipate that those who benefit from IPS + TAU will use less alcohol and drugs, experience better health, and use less care and support, including support from the justice system, in comparison to TVR + TAU participants, at 6, 12, and 18 months. A supplementary process evaluation, using the IPS Fidelity Scale (25 items) and adhered interviews will address delivery and receipt of the IPS as well as contextual hinders and barriers for coproduction and implementation. Working age (18–65), willingness to work, unemployment, participation in an information meeting about the RCT, treatment for addiction diagnosis, and being financially supported by welfare, constitute eligible criteria.DiscussionA primary study on the effectiveness of IPS on employment for the new target group of addictions will add to the international IPS knowledge base and inform national policy to include the underrepresented group in working life.Trial registrationWHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform ISRCTN10492363. Registered on 14 August 2023.

Sustainable and self-sufficient social home through a combined PV‑hydrogen pilot

Utilizing surplus renewable energy to produce and store green hydrogen can help meet energy demands during periods of low renewable energy production, and thus contributing greatly to decarbonize emission-intensive sectors, such as the residential and building sector. In this context, this manuscript reports the design, construction and operation of a hybrid PV‑hydrogen demonstrative pilot (PVHyP) for the 100% electrical self-sufficiency of a social housing in the town Novales (Spain). The work addresses i) the collection of real consumption data from the dwelling, ii) the design considering real characteristics and market availability of the devices, iii) final balance of plant implementation, and iv) the energy management strategy followed. The implemented control system allows the facility to be tracked and operated remotely. Besides, this flagship implementation in the SUDOE region (Spain, Portugal and southwest of France) has achieved the electrical independence from the grid under diverse climate conditions, eliminating 2260 kg of CO2 emissions associated to electricity consumption, saving almost 15,200 kWh of primary energy during two years of monitoring. Thus, around 1170 € where avoided in electricity bills (100% savings), resulting on multiple benefits for social dwellers in risk of energy poverty.

Unveiling and modelling the flood risk and multidimensional poverty determinants using geospatial multi-criteria approach: Evidence from Jigawa, Nigeria

Floods are recurring natural disasters that pose major challenges to communities worldwide, especially in regions where poverty is widespread. This research focuses on analysing the relationship between flood risk and poverty factors in Jigawa. It uses geospatial data, historical flood records and remote sensing to locate flood-prone areas. The integration of these data sets creates a comprehensive model for measuring flood-prone zones and their impact on multidimensional poverty. The flood risk zone included 3% and 13% as extremely high and high. In addition, 40% of the population is particularly vulnerable to flood disasters, leading to multidimensional poverty in the region. At the same time, poverty determinants such as agricultural activities, income level, education, access to health care, housing conditions, and road networks were analysed using statistical methods of principal component analysis (PCA). Findings from this research will go a long way toward understanding the complex interactions between natural disasters (flood) and poverty and will shed light on the mechanisms that perpetuate vulnerability in impoverished regions. By identifying the specific determinants of poverty that exacerbate the impact of flooding, this study provides evidence-based insights into possible avenues for targeted interventions and risk-reduction strategies. In addition, this study underscores the importance of using geospatial technology for disaster risk management and poverty alleviation. These findings will help policymakers and local authorities implement more efficient and adaptive disaster preparedness and response policies, thereby building the resilience of communities facing the intersecting challenges of poverty and flood risk.

Large families and poverty in Austria: What explains their disproportionate risk of experiencing income poverty?

AbstractIn many countries, large families with three or more children have high income poverty rates. In this article, we aim to understand why this is the case by examining the relevance of family structure, socio‐economic characteristics, and welfare state transfers targeted at this family form. For our analyses, we use cross‐sectional data from three waves (2017–2019) of the Austrian European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions dataset. Our results, based on descriptive statistics, logistic regressions, and decomposition analyses, confirm the higher poverty risk of large families compared with smaller families. However, when differentiating between poor and non‐poor families, it is not the family type that seems to be relevant in explaining the poverty risk, but rather the parental work intensity, the age of the youngest child, the place of residence, being a single‐parent household, and the parental migration background. Moreover, cash transfers from the welfare state, in particular family benefits, contribute to reducing poverty for a significant number of large families. Policy makers are therefore well advised to either further increase the cash transfers targeted at large families, and/or to improve the employability and ultimately the work intensity of parents in large families in order to reduce their income poverty risk.

Measurement and determinants of multidimensional poverty: the case of Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Multidimensional poverty in urban cities has received growing attention. In this study, the Alkire-Foster method was applied to examine multidimensional poverty in Hong Kong using a random sample of 1,476 Hong Kong adults in a cross-sectional population study undertaken in 2016–2017. Multidimensional poverty was measured on seven dimensions: education, health, mental health, housing, employment, social network, and subjective poverty. The adjusted headcount ratio gradually decreased, and the poverty intensity climbed while the cut-off value of multidimensional poverty increased. Education, employment and subjective poverty made the greatest contribution to multidimensional poverty. Logistic regressions were used to investigate the groups at risk of multidimensional poverty with different deprivation thresholds. Study results show that being female, single, older, a low income and deprived of necessities were risk factors of multidimensional poverty with various poverty cut-offs. Low income and deprivation of necessities correlated but did not overlap with multidimensional poverty. Our findings imply that poverty measurement should be multidimensional, and anti-poverty policy should be more targeted and diversified according to different groups’ risks of multidimensional poverty. The implications of these results and limitations are discussed.

How much does immigration contribute to national poverty rates? A decomposition analysis for 17 European welfare states

Abstract Over the past decades, many European welfare states failed to reduce poverty. We examine two coinciding trends: the inability to lower poverty rates, and the growth of immigrant populations. Immigrants have become the main contributor to population growth in Europe and have higher poverty risks than natives. This contribution quantifies to what extent national poverty rates were driven by population change. We present a Kitagawa–Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition of national poverty rates in 17 western European countries between 2005 and 2019 using EU-SILC data. The effect of shifting EU and non-EU immigrant populations on poverty rates is heterogeneous: while poverty in some countries increased substantially due to compositional changes, for the majority the effect was small or negligible, including in countries with above-average growth of foreign-born populations. Overall, in two-thirds of country–years changes in the population composition were not the main driver of national poverty rates.

Support and employment preferences in online platform work: A cluster analysis of German‐speaking workers

AbstractOnline platform work is an emerging field of non‐standard employment. Up to now, there has been little knowledge of the perspective of online platform workers on social protection and regulation. We provide quantitative data (n = 1727) on their needs for support and on their employment status preferences. Given the heterogeneity of German‐speaking online platform workers, we have conducted a cluster analysis to group workers according to task length, hourly wage, working hours and experience on online platforms. Most of the respondents are solo‐self‐employed and hybrid workers. They prefer support instruments that improve their skills and income over those that aim to strengthen their rights. The majority of platform workers are in favour of working outside of platforms. The study also shows that despite the low dependence on platform income, the actual poverty risk is relatively high.

Educational attainment as a predictor of poverty and social exclusion: Empirical analysis of Serbian case

This study examines the impact of education on the risk of poverty and social exclusion in a single-country framework. Relying on household and individual level data from the annual EU-SILC survey obtained in Serbia in 2020, we estimate the market and non-market benefits of education in the context of combating poverty and social exclusion in developing countries. Based on a representative sample of the adult population in Serbia, we explore to what extent the risk of poverty and social exclusion can be predicted by the levels of educational attainment. Econometric estimations indicate that educational underachievement acts as a significant driver of poverty and social exclusion. Probit regression analysis indicates that the risk of experiencing poverty and social exclusion decreases substantially with higher education levels. We include three model specifications that calculate the predicted probability of being at risk of poverty, severely materially deprived and exposed to combined risks. Holding other predictors constant, the decrease in poverty and social exclusion probability attributed to a one level increase in educational attainment amounts up to 7.96% (for unemployed women with only primary education). The analysis confirms that the highest gains from schooling are materialized for the categories of respondents who are not active in the labor market and those with the lowest levels of educational attainment. Besides this, self-perceived health and labor market activity significantly affect the risk of poverty, material deprivation and social exclusion. The impact of age differs across our model specifications, indicating that age increases the probability of severe material deprivation and the combined risk of poverty and deprivation, while older age appears to go in hand with a lower risk of poverty itself. These results offer relevant information that should be considered when determining the optimal level of social investment in education.

Subnational inequalities in years of life lost and associations with socioeconomic factors in pre-pandemic Europe, 2009–19: an ecological study

Health inequalities have been associated with shorter lifespans. We aimed to investigate subnational geographical inequalities in all-cause years of life lost (YLLs) and the association between YLLs and socioeconomic factors, such as household income, risk of poverty, and educational attainment, in countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) before the COVID-19 pandemic. In this ecological study, we extracted demographic and socioeconomic data from Eurostat for 1390 small regions and 285 basic regions for 32 countries in the EEA, which was complemented by a time-trend analysis of subnational regions within the EEA. Age-standardised YLL rates per 100 000 population were estimated from 2009 to 2019 based on methods from the Global Burden of Disease study. Geographical inequalities were assessed using the Gini coefficient and slope index of inequality. Socioeconomic inequalities were assessed by investigating the association between socioeconomic factors (educational attainment, household income, and risk of poverty) and YLLs in 2019 using negative binomial mixed models. Between Jan 1, 2009, and Dec 31, 2019, YLLs lowered in almost all subnational regions. The Gini coefficient of YLLs across all EEA regions was 14·2% (95% CI 13·6-14·8) for females and 17·0% (16·3 to 17·7) for males. Relative geographical inequalities in YLLs among women were highest in the UK (Gini coefficient 11·2% [95% CI 10·1-12·3]) and among men were highest in Belgium (10·8% [9·3-12·2]). The highest YLLs were observed in subnational regions with the lowest levels of educational attainment (incident rate ratio [IRR] 1·19 [1·13-1·26] for females; 1·22 [1·16-1·28] for males), household income (1·35 [95% CI 1·19-1·53]), and the highest poverty risk (1·25 [1·18-1·34]). Differences in YLLs remain within, and between, EEA countries and are associated with socioeconomic factors. This evidence can assist stakeholders in addressing health inequities to improve overall disease burden within the EEA. Research Council of Norway; Development, and Innovation Fund of Hungary; Norwegian Institute of Public Medicine; and COST Action 18218 European Burden of Disease Network.

Reasonable Hopes and Little Progress!

In this article, we aim to describe how the Operational Programme for the Support of Disadvantaged People (POAD), part of the European Fund for the Most Disadvantaged People (FEAD), has contributed to reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in Romania. We highlight the role of the auxiliary measures that accompanied the food support programme, as well as the added-value element of the implementation of the programme in Romania, emphasising the introduction of electronic social vouchers for hot meals for the eligible target group and electronic social vouchers to provide educational support for disadvantaged children. The research methodology used considered combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods, combining multiple data sources to reflect the perspectives of all stakeholders and relating quantitative data to representative samples using a participatory approach. Macro-level data on risk-of-poverty and social exclusion indicators, as well as information from sectoral analyses (social transfers), show an improvement in the situation of people in the POAD target group and a decrease in the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion. However, progress is limited, and it is difficult to determine the degree to which this is due to the POAD. Romania still ranks lowest in the European Union in terms of indicators measuring the risk of poverty and social exclusion. The provision and monitoring of accompanying programmes are an area where the potential of POAD could be further exploited. The need to strengthen the accompanying measures is extraordinarily strong and emerges from the analysis of information provided by final beneficiaries and public authorities responsible for the implementation of the programme. The distribution of social vouchers enables final beneficiaries to choose the goods they need. Purchases with social vouchers are less affected by the risks of financial corrections, final beneficiaries can monitor the consumption of the support received in real time, the number of supporting documents is reduced, and reimbursement is issued only for the amounts used by final beneficiaries.

Technology: Limited or Infinite?

With the advent of the internet, robotics, and artificial intelligence, the world of the internet is undergoing a tremendous technological revolution that is altering human society at a rate never seen before. P2P networking and computing have become so widespread that communities with close to 60 million members regularly engage. Due to the extensive influence of the internet on culture and society, it is imperative to adjust to the ever-evolving terrain. Kelly argues that technology growth follows a developmental curve independent of human or socioeconomic circumstances, drawing comparisons between it and biological evolution. Based on Moore's law, which claims that chip computer performance doubles every three years and increases exponentially, Ray Kurzweil's theory forecasts future technological growth. Calling this “the age of spiritual machines,” he projects that by 2029, machines will be more advanced than people. The rapid and powerful development of AI has led to the emergence of LLM models, allowing for the simulation and training of different areas of human cognition at high speeds. Human civilization, culture, and brain anatomy will change as a result of the introduction of new media and techniques. The rule of accelerating returns enables us to predict potential developments in the upcoming years since technology may free up human labor, and society ought to benefit from it rather than be constrained by it. The AI era is heading toward the emancipation of all limitations, even while it poses hazards like cybercrime, the digital gap, poverty, unemployment, energy crises, sustainability issues, and financial risks. We can anticipate a different and more optimistic world if we examine “what technology wants” and the law of accelerating returns.