Rural Parents Research Articles

Structural equation modeling to detect correlates of childhood vaccination: A moderated mediation analysis.

This study used a health belief theory derived framework and structural equation model to examine moderators, mediators, and direct and indirect predictors of childhood vaccination. A secondary analysis was conducted using data collected from a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 1599 parents living in urban and rural areas of Mysore district, India. Applying two-stage probability proportionate-to-size sampling, adolescent girls attending 7th through 10th grades in 23 schools were selected to take home a questionnaire to be answered by their parents to primarily assess HPV vaccine intentions. Parents were also asked whether their children had received one dose of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin; three doses of Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus; three doses of oral Polio vaccine; and one dose of Measles vaccine. In addition, parents were asked about their attitudes towards childhood vaccination. Out of the 1599 parents, 52.2% reported that their children had received all the routine vaccines (fully vaccinated); 42.7% reported their children had missed at least one routine vaccine, and 5.2% reported that their children had missed all routine vaccinations. Perceptions about the benefits/facilitators to childhood vaccination significantly predicted the full vaccination rate (standardized regression coefficient (β) = 0.29) directly and mediated the effect of parental education (β = 0.11) and employment (β = -0.06) on the rate of full vaccination. Parental education was significantly associated indirectly with higher rates of full vaccination (β = 0.11). Parental employment was significantly associated indirectly with decreasing rates of full vaccination (β = -0.05). Area of residence moderated the role of religion (β = 0.24) and the 'number of children' in a family (β = 0.33) on parental perceptions about barriers to childhood vaccination. The model to data fit was acceptable (Root Mean Square Error of Approximation = 0.02, 95% CI 0.018 to 0.023; Comparative Fit Index = 0.92; Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.91). Full vaccination rate was relatively low among children in Mysore, especially among parents who were unsure about the benefits of routine vaccination and those with low educational levels. Interventions increasing awareness of the benefits of childhood vaccination that target rural parents with lower levels of education may help increase the rate of full childhood vaccination in India.

The Tale of Two Schools: Investigating the Understanding of Mental Health by Students, Parents and Teachers in Rural and City Bangladesh

The Tale of Two Schools: Investigating the Understanding of Mental Health by Students, Parents and Teachers in Rural and City Bangladesh

Predictors Associated With Knowledge and Practice of Helminthic Infection Prevention Among Rural School-Aged Children's Parents in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Parasitic infection has become a major public health concern in light of its increasing prevalence in developing countries, particularly in rural settings. Helminthic infections disproportionately affect children, and therefore appropriate parental knowledge and practical approaches to transmission prevention are essential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge and implementation measures aimed at preventing helminthic infection among rural school-aged children's parents in Bangladesh.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among the parents of 449 rural school-aged children residing in 17 villages of the Cumilla district in Bangladesh. Participants completed the survey examining socio-demographic variables as well as questions regarding knowledge and practice of helminthic infection prevention (HIP).Results: Local knowledge about children's HIP was inadequate among their parents (81.5%). Furthermore, actual implementation of HIP measures was poor (42.1%). Knowledge of HIP was significantly associated with parental religion, education, occupation, number of family members, family income, housing conditions, and sanitation system. In addition, practice of HIP was significantly associated with the aforementioned factors, as well as with water source and knowledge of HIP.Conclusion: Lack of concern about parasitic infection among children's parents and their untoward effects on children's health is pervasive in rural parental settings, along with ignorance on helminthic transmission and its prevention. Public education programs aimed at addressing these glaring HIP awareness deficits are needed in Bangladesh.

Can money substitute adult children's absence? Measuring remittances' compensation effect on the health of rural migrants' left-behind elderly parents

In rural China, remittances were believed to play a pivotal role in compensating the left-behind elderly parents for their health loss due to their adult children's outmigration. No prior study, however, has explored how much remittances matter. The endogeneity issues are the main obstacles to clearly answer this question. Using China Family Panel Studies data, this study combines Extended Regression Models and Mediation Analysis to measure the compensation effect of remittances on the health of migrants' left-behind elderly parents in rural China. The results show that migrants' remittances could compensate partial loss of their elderly parents' self-reported health and mental health, but not with other health indicators' deterioration, such as body mass index. Specifically, migrant workers' remittances are able to compensate their elderly parents' 15.33 percent loss in self-reported health and 20.37 percent loss in mental health. This means adult children's outmigration has significant consequences on their aging parents' health; and their remittances' compensation effect is quite limited.

The Association Between the Special Subsidy for Families Practicing Family Planning and the Mental Health of Loss/Disability-of-Single-Child Parents: Evidence from China.

This study evaluated the association between the special subsidy policy and the mental health of loss/disability-of-single-child parents (LCPs/DCPs) in China and found that accepting the special subsidy is inversely related to the mental health of LCPs and DCPs. In addition, accepting the subsidy is more inversely related to the mental health of LCPs than DCPs, of rural parents than urban parents, of male parents than female parents, and of loss/disability-of-single-son parents than loss/disability-of-single-daughter parents. According to taboo trade-off theory, we proposed several explanations for the finding and put forward some policy recommendations.

Language solidarity, vitality and status: Sibe family language attitudes in North-western China

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a study of 148 Sibe youths and their parents from the Charbuchar Sibe Autonomous County of Xinjiang, North-western China, investigating their attitudes toward their mother tongue. Language attitude questionnaires that looked into the youths’ and their parents’ perceptions of their mother tongue’s solidarity (friendliness, beautifulness, usefulness and learnability), status (significance in the country, in economic development, in daily life and in cultural wealth) and vitality (including linguistic, extralinguistic and related factors) were used to collect data. The results show that Sibe youth were more pessimistic than their parents about the solidarity and vitality of the Sibe language, but shared their parents’ optimistic perceptions of the Sibe language’s status. Parents’ attitudes differed by education, income, profession and residence, with high-income, highly educated parents in urban centres holding more pessimistic attitudes than low-income, rural parents. Students’ attitudes also varied by gender and grade levels, with girls being more positive than boys. The findings suggest that concerted efforts in school, home, and communities, especially in urban communities, must be devoted to bridging the intergenerational gaps in language attitudes. Emphasis should also be placed on supporting youths,’ especially boys,’ ethnic identity and affirmation.

Choice-less choice for Rural Boarding Students and their Families

The term 'choice-less choice' in education arises from the ethical dilemma where parents are left with no option other than one they do not want to choose. In this article, we draw particularly from David Mander's (2012) use of the term, where he applied it to First Nations students from Western Australia. In Australia, choice-less choice applies to many rural parents where the local school does not offer secondary education options. They must 'choose' a boarding option for their child, or another option such as moving their family to a location where there is a secondary school, or perhaps distance schooling. Other parents have a local secondary option, but this option may not result in Year 12 completion. Based on My School data, this paper uses Google Maps to spatially represent where, in very remote parts of Australia, parents have limited access to local secondary schools or secondary schools that rarely produce completions. The data from My School shows that in very remote areas, this choice-less choice applies to about 6500 students and their families. A further 13000 First Nations students and their families face choice-less choice because even though there is a secondary school in their community, the chances of completing are slim. To explain the latter phenomenon, we draw on Appadurai's (2004) theory of 'capacity to aspire', which suggests that choices are culturally pre-determined and dependent on access to power. Finally, we consider the implications of choice-less choice and suggest how choice-less choice can be removed.

What Do Parents Think About School Meals? An Exploratory Study of Rural Middle School Parents' Perceptions.

Interventions targeting school meals have been used to combat obesity in rural youth. Parents play a powerful role in childhood nutrition; however, we know little about parents' perceptions of school meal programs. This study aimed to understand parents' perceptions of school meal programs. Surveys were administered to middle school parents (n = 576) at six schools in a rural state. We conducted univariate and multivariate analyses to measure parents' overall perceptions of the school meals program and to identify differences in perceptions by their children's participation in the Free and Reduced Price School Meals (F&RM) program. Parents had largely negative views of school meals but agreed that they met students' needs. Results of the multivariate analysis revealed differences in perceptions by participation in F&RM including the relative importance of meal components. Including parents in meal-related experiences and decision making could improve their perceptions and increase children's participation in school lunch programs.

Urban–rural differences in perception of trees described by parents bringing up children in Warsaw and Jedlińsk, Poland

Parents’ attitudes to trees and nature are reflected not only in their children’s outdoor activity, but also in the way they perceive, learn and value the environment. One hundred and eleven respondents, divided into two groups by place of residence, assessed statements in a survey questionnaire. Two groups of questions aimed at evaluating tree benefits and disservices as perceived by urban and rural parents, and identifying their preferences concerning outdoor activity of their children. Tree benefits and disadvantages were grouped into five categories (social, economic, environmental, health and aesthetic). Both urban and rural parents presented similar attitudes to trees as well as to their children’s play environments. Among 37 statements concerning tree benefits, only five revealed statistically significant differences. The most important difference appeared in the way urban and rural parents perceived the aspects of danger. Trees were not perceived as posing any risk on playgrounds for city residents, who—unlike villagers—opposed to the removal of trees from playgrounds.

Enhancing parent–teacher collaboration in rural schools: parents’ voices and implications for schools

ABSTRACT There is general consensus that parents are invaluable partners in education of their children but, getting South African rural parents involved in education has remained difficult. This paper draws from parents’ voices to explore the question, what do parents in a rural South African school context see as the school’s role in enhancing parent–teacher collaboration? An interpretive qualitative approach was adopted to conduct the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from 10 rural parents and the interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to analyze data. Findings suggest that parents understand the need for their involvement but believe that schools need to invest in their empowerment, consider modern communication methods, communicate with parents the school vision, and what is expected from parents. The findings further suggest the need to bring on board the traditional leaders because of their inherent influence in the community. While parents seem to have adopted the negative discourse in relation to their involvement, they present a different notion from scholarship that portrays rural parents inadequate. The findings suggest that we need to question the current dominant notion of what parental involvement is and consider roles that parents from different contexts can play when collaborating with teachers.

Correlation analysis between adolescent cognitive ability and health risk behaviors

Objective To explore the status of adolescents' health risk behaviors, relationship between cognitive ability and health risk behaviors, and provide an empirical reference for reducing the occurrence and early prevention of health risk behaviors among adolescents. Methods Samples were extracted by hierarchical, multi-stage, probability and scale proportional (PPS) methods. There were 112 schools randomly selected from 28 county-level regions (county, district, city), and 19 487 students were investigated by baseline survey, a follow-up study was conducted among 8 636 students during 2014-2015. Descriptive statistical methods of using 2 test and t test, and logistic multivariate regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between cognitive abilities and healthy risk behaviors. Results The reported rate of a healthy risk behavior was 20.77%, and the incidence of more than one type of health risk behavior was 16.03%. The student’s cognitive ability standardized score was (0.33±0. 82). The average score of cognitive ability of adolescents with healthy risk behavior was 0.14, which was lower than the average score of cognitive ability of adolescents without healthy risk behaviors (0.43). Boys, having rural household registeration, non-residential schools, and parents with low education levels adolescents were more likely to be involved in health behavior risks. There was a significant correlation between adolescent cognitive ability and healthy risk behavior ( OR = 0.67, P <0.01). Conclusion The current status of adolescent health risk behaviors is worrying. The cognitive ability has a significant impact on health risk behaviors. It is recommended to use the cognitive ability of adolescents as a starting point to prevent and reduce the occurrence of adolescent health risk behaviors. 【摘要】目的 探究青少年健康危险行为现状及其与认知能力的关系，为减少青少年健康危险行为的发生及早期预 防提供实证参考。 方法 采用分层次、多阶段、概率与规模成比例（PPS)的方法，从全国28个县级单位（县、区、市）随机抽 取112所学校，2013—2014学年基线调査19 487名学生，2014—2015学年追踪调査8 636名初中学生。运用妒检验、《检 验的描述性统计方法，以及Logistic多因素回归分析认知能力与健康危险行为的关系。 结果 学生存在1种健康危险行为 的报告率为20.77%，1种以上的健康危险行为报告率为16.03%。学生认知能力标准化得分为（0.33±0.82)分。有健康危 险行为的青少年认知能力标准化得分均分为0.14分，没有健康危险行为青少年的得分为0.43分。男性、农村户口、非住 校、父母受教育程度低的青少年更容易发生健康危险行为。Logistic回归分析显示，青少年认知能力与其健康危险行为的 相关有统计学意义（ OR = 0.67， P <0.01)。 结论 青少年健康危险行为现状堪忧，认知能力对健康危险行为的影响显著。建 议以青少年的认知能力为出发点，预防和减少青少年健康危险行为的发生。

Rural Education: How Successful Low-Income Students Received Socio-Educational Supports from Families, School Teachers and Peers?

The current study explored how socio-economic problems affected rural students academic achievement and also examined how successful rural students from low-income families received socio-cultural supports from their parents, teachers and peers. The study utilised a multi-site case study involving five successful rural students from low-income families in Malaysia who have been selected using purposive random sampling technique. An interview protocol containing semi-structured questions was used to collect narrative data. Data collected was analysed using thematic approach. Results revealed that socio-economic problems have affected affected students’ motivation and emotion. Results also revealed that the parents of all informants had good attitudes in supporting their children education even though they had financial limitation. This highlights the importance of parental survival skills and psychological stability for promoting children academic well-being. The current study also has confirmed that socio-cultural factors play significant roles to support learning for rural students. As helping skills among rural parents, teachers and rural peers are significance for students’ success; a specific community educational module need to be developed as a guideline for them to enhance their roles in providing educational support effectively.

Grass-Root Level Teachers and Parents’ Understandings on Primary Education Quality in Bangladesh

Educational policies and programmes need to develop, giving special attention to rural teachers, parents and children. The policy has to develop by considering rural people’s (teachers and parents) understandings and perspectives on education quality in the local context. Therefore, it is an important matter to know the understandings in respect of primary education quality, as seen by rural parents and teachers, in order to formalize the appropriate policy to enhance the quality of primary education in the rural areas. In this regard, unveiling teachers’ and parents’ understandings on the quality of education in rural Bangladesh is one of the important steps on the way to framing policy for achieving quality education. In this study, qualitative data were captured by semi-structured interview and data interpretation was underpinned by concepts derived from human capital and social capital theories. This research suggested three types of understandings related to education quality (a) acquisition of academic results and awarded scholarship, (b) capability and skills and (c) the development of values and attitudes. Therefore, the concepts (integrated) of education quality carry the ‘Whole culture, i.e., the culture of Performance and the culture of ‘Well-being’.

The Attitude of Teachers and Parents of Students towards the Implementation of School Management Committee (SMCs) at Elementary Level

The primary purposes of the present study were to analyze the attitude of the teachers and parentstowards the implementation of School Management Committee as elementary level and to examinethe significant difference in the attitude of parents (rural and urban) and teachers (male andfemale). The descriptive survey method was adopted for conducting research, where 20 elementaryschools (10 rural and 10 urban) of Sambalpur district, Odisha were taken, from which 160 sampleswere selected randomly composing both parents and students as a whole. A five-point attitude scalewas prepared for collecting relevant data from the sample groups, and the simple percentage technique and 't' test was applied to analyze the obtained data. The findings of the study revealed that Majority of parents and teachers agreed that the formation of the School ManagementCommittee at the elementary level is a good step taken by the Government. Both rural and urban parents differed significantly in their attitude towards the implementation of the School Management Committee. In comparison to rural and urban parents, rural parents had a more favorable attitude than urban parents towards SMC. There was no sign of the difference between male and female teachers towards the implementation of the School Management Committee. Both showed an equal favorable attitude.

“We Don't Know How to Do This”: Rural Parents' Perspectives on and Roles in Enrollment at a Private, Selective Liberal Arts College

AbstractRural youth trail their non‐rural counterparts in college enrollment and attainment, especially for degrees from selective schools; these gaps further spatial inequality in the United States. Much research has focused on rural parents as impediments to rural college‐going: many rural parents did not attend college, and their educational aspirations for their children are lower than those of urban parents. However, every year, thousands of rural students do head to college, even to selective schools, and little is known about their parents' influence on their enrollment. This qualitative study focuses on rural parents without a bachelors degree, investigating the roles they play in their children's aspirations and enrollment at a private, selective liberal arts college and examining their perspectives on this type of school. The results suggest that parents are an important source of social capital, supporting aspirations and enrollment. They also show that these parents see a liberal arts education as a path to a remunerative and rewarding career, and, in supporting their children's college choice, they value factors—financial aid, proximity, and a welcoming school culture—that mitigate the social, cultural, and moral boundaries separating home from college.

Reconsidering the urban migrants' roles in supporting their rural parents' livelihoods in a depopulated mountainous village

Reconsidering the urban migrants' roles in supporting their rural parents' livelihoods in a depopulated mountainous village

The Effects of Parental Reading Socialisation on the Reading Skill Performance of Rural Primary School Students in Sarawak

Extant research on home literacy practices such as parental reading socialisation have demonstrated positive impacts on children in terms of academic performance. A particular aspect that sparks pedagogic importance is the scaffolding potential of reading at home to the learning of English language in non-native English Language contexts. This study aimed to examine the effects of mother’s involvement in home-reading sessions on students’ English reading skill performance in Bau, Sarawak. Prior to carrying out the intervention of reading at home with their children, 31 mothers of Bidayuh ethnicity voluntarily attended a one-day workshop to orient them to the intervention and the use of logbooks to record details of their shared readings. However, only 18 mothers conducted reading sessions with their children and submitted a total of 21 logbooks detailing the frequency and material selection for reading. Their children, consisting of primary 1 to 4 students were required to sit for a pre-test and a post-test that measure their English language reading proficiency. The test scores were analysed using the paired-sample T-test. There was a significant increase in the students’ post-test scores following the reading intervention. The results revealed that despite the low frequency of mother-child shared reading sessions, the sessions positively affected the students’ reading performance. This finding suggests that parental reading socialisation can facilitate students’ literacy development. However, the use of materials in Bidayuh as a native language as opposed to Malay or English may increase the rural parents’ participation in home-literacy activities, and encourage early literacy in children.

Impact of adult sons’ marriage squeeze on the mental health of parents in rural China

ABSTRACT: Studying the influencing factors and interventions of mental health in rural China has important practical significance for promoting personal development and social progress. Using the 2016 waves of the China Family Panel Studies data, this paper examined the effect of adult sons’ marriage squeeze on parents’ mental health in rural China and its corresponding mechanisms. Our study showed a significant negative association between adult sons’ marriage squeeze and the mental health status of rural parents. Moreover, the negative association of adult sons’ marriage squeeze with mental health is larger for female parents, parents who are less than 60 years old and parents living with children. In addition, we investigated possible mechanisms of the effect, including intergenerational support, intergenerational relationship and neighborhood relationship, and that adult sons’ marriage squeeze mainly damages the mental health of rural parents by increasing the downstream intergenerational support of rural parents and worsening intergenerational and neighborhood relationships.

Expropriation with hukou change and labour market outcomes in China

We study the labour market outcomes of Chinese household members changing their registration status (hukou) from rural to urban as a result of land expropriation using panel data from the 2008–2010 Rural Urban Migration in China (RUMiC). While it is largely unclear the extent to which expropriation can be viewed as an event exogenous to individual and household choices, we deal with the potential selection bias of being expropriated by using the methodology proposed by Oster (2019). Gaining an urban hukou is found to improve the labour market outcomes of expropriated household heads and spouses relative to comparable rural stayers and rural-urban migrants. In particular, hukou-changers gain better access to permanent jobs in the public sector through formal search channels. We also find that expropriated parents invest substantially more in children's human capital as compared to rural parents, suggesting that leveling the hukou status among children can contribute to reducing intergenerational inequality.

Longitudinal and Geographic Trends in Family Engagement During the Pre-kindergarten to Kindergarten Transition

The transition to kindergarten is foundational for children’s future school performance and families’ relationships with the educational system. Despite its well-documented benefits, few studies have explored family engagement across the pre-Kindergarten (pre-K) to kindergarten transition nor considered the role of geographic context during this period. This study examined trajectories of family engagement across the pre-K to kindergarten transition, and identified whether engagement differs for families in rural versus urban settings. Participants were 248 parents of children who participated in publicly funded pre-K programs and transitioned 1 year later into kindergarten. Home-based involvement increased from pre-K through kindergarten. School-based involvement increased during pre-K and decreased through the end of kindergarten. Structural and relational communication remained stable during pre-K and decreased through the end of kindergarten. Compared to urban parents, rural parents reported less home-based involvement, structural communication, and relational communication. Implications for practice and policy are explored.