Safety Nets Research Articles

Exploring the Interplay of Social Safety Nets, Race, Ethnicity, and Nativity on Psychological Distress Among Low-Income Mothers.

Low-income mothers face numerous challenges that increase their vulnerability to psychological distress. Their perceived or actual difficulty in accessing vital support networks, whether public or private, can significantly amplify this distress. Socially assigned identities, such as nativity, ethnicity, and race, intersect with socioeconomic factors, influencing mental health outcomes. Using data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, our research investigated the impact of public and private safety nets on maternal psychological health. We found that, even after accounting for socioeconomic factors, non-Hispanic, US-born White mothers experienced higher levels of psychological distress compared to minoritized mothers. The role of safety nets varied by race and ethnicity, with private safety nets providing unique protection to Black and Hispanic mothers, while support was associated with increased distress only among White mothers. These findings highlight the need to consider sociocultural history when assessing safety net impacts on mental health.

Role of Gig Economy Participation in Shaping Worker Economic Security in Indonesia

Purpose: The aim of the study was to analyze the role of gig economy participation in shaping worker economic security in Indonesia. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: In Indonesia, gig economy participation offers flexibility and additional income, aiding financial stability for many workers. However, it also introduces challenges such as income instability, lack of social protections, and limited access to benefits. This situation can lead to significant economic insecurity, especially during downturns. While gig work provides opportunities, it highlights the need for enhanced labor policies and social protections to improve economic security for gig workers. Policymakers should address these issues to better integrate gig workers into social safety nets and ensure fair labor practices. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Theory of job demands-resources (JD-R), social protection theory & human capital theory may be used to anchor future studies on analyze the gender inequality in the workplace in Japan. Employers and gig platforms should create and integrate financial planning tools and resources specifically designed for gig workers. To address the economic insecurity faced by gig workers, policymakers should implement portable benefits systems that can be carried across various gig jobs.

The Effectiveness of Social Safety Nets in Reducing Extreme Poverty

The Effectiveness of Social Safety Nets in Reducing Extreme Poverty

Delivery platforms for reaching adolescents with nutrition interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

Adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are a vulnerable population given increased nutritional needs as puberty approaches. School-based nutrition programs exist in some settings, but the comprehensive provision of nutrition services requires knowledge of the mechanisms to reach out-of-school adolescents. A comprehensive scopingreview was performed using formal and informal search strategies to landscape all potential delivery platforms with nutrition services to reach adolescents. Peer-reviewed studies, institutional strategies, program evaluations, and programmatic reports in LMICs were reviewed, including gray literature. A total of 87 out of 270 identified publications and reports describing nutrition programs for adolescents were identified. Although nutrition programs targeted at adolescents were sparse, various innovative and inclusive delivery platforms were included, such as school feeding programs, school-based anemia control, and nutrition-friendly school initiatives; health facility-based, youth-friendly health and nutrition services; social safety nets targeted at adolescents; community-based approaches targeting youth development and peer education within youth centers and faith-based settings; and technology-based platforms, including digital health services and mass media communication sensitization and mobilization efforts. Existing delivery mechanisms and platforms in health and other sectors that target adolescents offer great potential to extend nutrition interventions to this vulnerable yet hard-to-reach population.

Assessing livelihood dependency on forestry products during COVID-19 period

Background: The importance of forest in improving human welfare is recognized worldwide. Both natural and artificial forests provide basic needs such as fuel wood, timber, industrial wood and non-timber products. They also provide employment, income and foreign exchange hence contributing to social and economic development. Equally important are the environmental benefits of forest. But as covid 19 came people lost their job, their movement was restricted as a result an increase dependency on forest products for survival increases in developing countries. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to unearth impacts of covid 19 has on the forest products of people living around zomba plateau forest reserve. The general objective of the study is to assess livelihood dependency on forest product during covid 19 period. Method: Specifically, the study will identify and assess which forest products were frequently accessed during covid 19 and analyze the contribution of forest products on household income during the pandemic period. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to collect data. The target population for the study consisted of residents of Mtendere village. The sample size was 59. Data were collected using self- administered questionnaire and interviews. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and excel package respectively. Result: The results of the study indicate that there was an increase dependency of forest products during covid 19 period and such that the contribution the contribution of forest products to household income dwindles during this period. Conclusion: The study further recommends to build the resilience of forest- dependent communities to future shocks and crises. This can be achieved through the implementation of social safety nets, or savings and credit programs. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on community dependence on forest products and finds changes in forest resource use patterns during the pandemic. It provides new insights into the resilience of forest-dependent communities in the face of global crises. It offers practical recommendations for building community resilience through social safety nets and credit savings programs.

The impact of unconditional cash transfers on enhancing household wellbeing in Pakistan: evidence from a quasi-experimental design

Cash transfer programs have emerged as potent tools for alleviating poverty and enhancing the living conditions of the most deprived households in developing nations. Such initiatives have now become integral components of social protection systems in many developing countries, including Pakistan. Evaluating the efficacy of these safety nets is crucial to comprehend their value in terms of public expenditure. This research employed a well-being index to gauge the impact of unconditional cash transfers on the socioeconomics of recipients. By employing three rounds of the BISP impact assessment survey conducted in 2011, 2016, and 2019. The study measured the overall impact of cash transfers on well-being by utilizing Principal Component Analysis in conjunction with a Difference-in-Differences Quasi-Experimental design over the years. The findings of the study indicate that between 2011 and 2016, the socioeconomic status declined for both treatment and control groups, but the reduction was less pronounced among those who received treatment compared to the control group with insignificant. From 2016 to 2019, there was a marginal positive increase in socioeconomic status, although it was of insignificance. Overall, the well-being of both the control and treatment groups decreased from 2011 to 2019, with a slightly more pronounced improvement observed in the treatment group. This trend suggests that the impact of the BISP unconditional cash transfer program had a limited effect on altering the well-being of the beneficiaries. The lack of substantial impact from the BISP’s cash transfers on household well-being can be attributed to factors such as inflation, unemployment, economic slowdown, payment challenges, insufficient funding, and gaps between installments. The government of Pakistan should reconsider the substantial investment in BISP within the context of value for money. It is advisable for the government and policymakers to channel this substantial investment into income generation, capital asset development, microbusinesses, climate-resilient agriculture, and livestock in order to stimulate the real economy sectors.

Decomposing socioeconomic inequality in household out of pocket health expenditures in Pakistan (2010-11–2018-19)

BackgroundThe increased socioeconomic inequality in catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) disproportionately affects disadvantaged populations, subjecting them to financial hardships, limiting their access to healthcare, and exacerbating their vulnerability to morbidity.ObjectivesThis study examines changes in socioeconomic inequality related to CHE and analyzes the contributing factors responsible for these changes in Pakistan between 2010-11 and 2018-19.MethodsThis paper extracted the data on out-of-pocket health expenditures from the National Health Accounts for 2009-10 and 2017-18. Sociodemographic information was gathered from the Household Integrated Economic Surveys of 2010-11 and 2018-19. CHE was calculated using budget share and the ability-to-pay approaches. To assess socioeconomic inequality in CHE in 2010-11 and 2018-19, both generalized and standard concentration indices were used, and Wagstaff inequality decomposition analysis was employed to explore the causes of socioeconomic inequality in each year. Further, an Oaxaca-type decomposition was applied to assess changes in socioeconomic inequality in CHE over time.ResultsThe concentration index reveals that socioeconomic inequality in CHE decreased in 2018-19 compared to 2010-11 in Pakistan. Despite the reduction in inequality, CHE was concentrated among the poor in Pakistan in 2010-11 and 2018-19. The inequality decomposition analysis revealed that wealth status was the main cause of inequality in CHE over time. The upper wealth quantiles indicated a positive contribution, whereas lower quantiles showed a negative contribution to inequality in CHE. Furthermore, urban residence contributed to pro-rich inequality, whereas employed household heads, private healthcare provider, and inpatient healthcare utilization contributed to pro-poor inequality. A noticeable decline in socioeconomic inequality in CHE was observed between 2010 and 2018. However, inequality remained predominantly concentrated among the lower socio-economic strata.ConclusionThese results underscore the need to improve the outreach of subsidized healthcare and expand social safety nets.

Climate Change Impacts on Legume Physiology and Ecosystem Dynamics: A Multifaceted Perspective

As valuable sources of plant-based protein, leguminous vegetables (grain legumes) are essential for global food security and contribute to body growth and development in humans as well as animals. Climate change is a major challenge for agriculture development that creates major problems for the growth and development of plants. However, legume productivity is threatened by climate change factors, including rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, intensified extreme events, and altered pest/pathogen activity. This review synthesizes approximately 136 studies to assess the climate effects on major legume crops. Under all the global emissions trajectories, the mean temperatures are projected to rise beyond the optimal legume growing thresholds by 2050, carrying yield reductions between 10 and 49% for beans, soybeans, cowpeas, and lentils without adaptation measures. The elevated carbon dioxide may transiently enhance the yields up to 18%, but the benefits dramatically decline above 550 ppm and cannot offset the other climate impacts. Altered rainfall along with recurrent drought and heat waves are also expected to decrease the legume crop yields, seed quality, and soil nitrogen levels worldwide. Furthermore, the proliferation of legume pests and fungal diseases poses significant risks, amplified by climate shifts in 84% of the reviewed studies. These multifaceted impacts threaten the productivity gains in leguminous vegetables essential to sustainably meeting the global protein demand. Realizing resilience will require the accelerated development of heat/drought-tolerant legume varieties, enhanced climate-informed agronomic practices, strong policy interventions, and social safety nets explicitly supporting legume producers, in addition to the policies/steps that governments are taking to address the challenges of the climate crisis. This review highlights the essential adaptations and mechanisms required for legume crops to thrive and fulfill their significant roles in global nutrition. It explores how these crops can be improved to better withstand the environmental stresses, enhance their nutritional profiles, and increase their yields. Additionally, the review discusses the importance of legumes in sustainable agriculture and food security, emphasizing their potential to address the future challenges in feeding the growing global population. By focusing on these critical aspects, the review aims to underscore the importance of legumes in ensuring a healthy and sustainable food supply.

Beyond flashing lights and sirens: Community paramedicine as health safety nets for older adults.

Beyond flashing lights and sirens: Community paramedicine as health safety nets for older adults.

Experiences participating in federal nutrition assistance programs during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic: an investigation in Vermont

BackgroundFederal nutrition assistance programs serve as safety nets for many American households, and participation has been linked to increased food security and, in some instances, improved diet quality and mental health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic brought new and increased economic, social, and psychological challenges, necessitating inquiry into how nutrition assistance programs are functioning and associated with public health outcomes.MethodsUsing data from a representative statewide survey administered in Vermont (n = 600) between July and September 2020, we examined participant experiences with major federal nutrition assistance programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and school meal programs. We explored quantitative and qualitative responses regarding perceptions of program utility, and used nearest neighbors matching analyses in combination with bivariate statistical tests to assess associations between program participation and food insecurity, perceived stress, and fruit and vegetable intake as indicators of dietary quality.ResultsOne in four respondents (27.3%) used at least one federal nutrition assistance program. As compared to non-participants, we found higher rates of food insecurity among program participants (57.5% vs. 18.1%; p < 0.001), an association that persisted even when we compared similar households using matching techniques (p ≤ 0.001). From matched analyses, we found that, compared to low-income non-participants, low-income program participants were less likely to meet fruit intake recommendations (p = 0.048) and that low-income SNAP and WIC participants were less likely to meet vegetable intake recommendations (p = 0.035). We also found lower rates of perceived stress among low-income school meal participant households compared to low-income non-participants (p = 0.039). Despite these mixed outcomes, participants broadly valued federal nutrition assistance programs, characterizing them as helpful or easy to use.ConclusionsWe found that federal nutrition assistance programs as a group were not sufficient to address food insecurity and stress or increase fruit and vegetable intake in the state of Vermont during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, participants perceived benefits from participation in these programs. Optimizing the utility of nutrition assistance programs depends on critical examination of their functioning under conditions of great stress.

CHILD LABOUR IN INDIA AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS - AN ASSESSMENT

Child labour refers to the exploitation of minors through any type of employment that robs them of their youth, prevents them from attending a regular school, or is detrimental to their mental, physical, social, or moral development. Child labour enriches minors and infringes their rights. MGNREGA lacks funding but offers unskilled labour. By utilizing women's self-help groups and microfinance, UBIS hopes to eradicate child labour in rural areas by 2025. Prioritizing knowledge production and evidence translation, rescuing and rehabilitating labourers, and implementing free education are essential. By 2025, governments have to prioritize law enforcement, coordinated policies, and small labour rights. Over 75% of Indians are farmers, and large-scale income strategies like MGNREGA and agro-based enterprises are needed to reduce child labour and poverty. By 2025, UBIS, increased budgets, social safety nets, and stronger public policy are needed.

Universal free school meals: Examining factors influencing adoption of the Community Eligibility Provision

AbstractRecognizing school meals as critical safety nets for children in low‐income households, many states are passing legislation to adopt universal free school meals, linking their funding to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federally funded universal free school meal program. However, about half of all eligible school districts did not participate in CEP in the school year 2018–2019. Using a policy diffusion approach and a Cox regression model, this research demonstrates the importance of a school district's identified student percentage (poverty level) and a state's direct certification rate (certifying students for free meals) in increasing the likelihood of CEP adoption.

Lived experience, social support, and challenges to health service use during the COVID-19 pandemic among HIV key populations in Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the lives, health, and social well-being of people globally including presenting special challenges in low to middle income countries for people living with HIV. This study investigates the pandemic experiences of the four key HIV-positive populations in Indonesia: men who have sex with men, transgender women, female sex workers, and people who use drugs. In-depth interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 22 key population members recruited through 9 nongovernment HIV agencies in Jakarta and Bali, Indonesia. Indonesia’s Large-scale Social Restrictions Policy mandating physical distancing and stay-at-home orders had been in effect for 7–10 months at the time of the interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded using NVivo™ (R1.7) software. A grounded theory approach identified key concepts along with similarities, differences, and reoccurring patterns of COVID-19 lived experience among participants. Participants recounted the impact of both the pandemic and the Restriction Policy on their interpersonal, financial, medical, and psychosocial well-being. When in need, they turned to formal and informal sources of financial and social support plus their own resourcefulness. Along with other factors, HIV medication shortages, HIV and COVID-19 related stigma, and fear of acquiring COVID-19 negatively impacted their antiretroviral adherence and the use of health services. The results point to the latent consequences of government attempts to curb a pandemic through public health lockdowns and enforced policies of physical separation. Its findings reveal the importance of ensuring that public safety nets for HIV key populations are available to supplement more informal personal sources of needed support.

Latino-Hispanic Unsheltered Homelessness Before and After COVID-19.

Objectives. To identify sociodemographic shifts among unsheltered Latino people experiencing homelessness (PEH) between 2020-2022. Methods. We examined differences in characteristics reported in demographic surveys for Latino PEH older than 25 years from 2020 (n = 1215) and 2022 (n = 1395) in Los Angeles County, California, using weighted bivariate χ2 tests. Results. From 2020 to 2022, there was a 25% increase in the number of unsheltered Latino individuals. The share of Latino PEH who were unemployed increased (57% to 67%). The increase in homelessness occurred largely among individuals living in vehicles (14% to 33%), rather than in tents or on sidewalks. Latino PEH were significantly less likely to report mental illness (24% vs 18%) and had higher rates of first entry into homelessness in the past 2 years than non-Latino respondents. Conclusions. Our results are consistent with the effects of increasing socioeconomic vulnerability, likely related to COVID-19, in driving the increase in Latino PEH. Policy Implications. The rise in homelessness among economically vulnerable yet healthy Latinos suggests a need to bolster social safety nets and increase homelessness prevention programs. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S6):S510-S514. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307717) [Formula: see text].

Extended foster care and homelessness: Assessing the impact of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act on rates of homelessness among youth

Youth aging out of foster care experience high rates of homelessness during young adulthood. This study assessed the impact of states’ extension of foster care through age 21 under the federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 on state-level rates of homelessness among all youth ages 18–24, which we used as a proxy to assess impact on the legislation’s target population. To do so, we leveraged data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Census Bureau and several other publicly available data sources to construct a novel state-level panel dataset that allowed us to capture changes in rates of homelessness among youth ages 18–24 and extended foster care policies in all 50 states for the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020. Employing a difference-in-difference approach, we found evidence of an anticipated lagged effect of extended foster care, wherein the implementation of extended foster care is associated with a 23 % reduction in the total rate of youth homelessness four years later. This effect persists in years five to six after states adopt this policy change. We found no evidence of a similar effect of extended foster care on rates of homelessness among persons not between the ages of 18–24. Our findings provide important evidence about the impact of the Fostering Connections Act and suggest that extending the age of foster care eligibility may create important safety nets and pathways that support a reduction in rates of homelessness among former foster youth.

Household Food Insecurity and COVID-19 Social Safety Nets in Cavite, Philippines

The COVID-19 restrictions have caused economic losses that affected food availability and accessibility, thereby compromising people’s lifestyles and putting the already existing poor households into severe food insecurity. As such, national government agencies and local government units in the Philippines provided emergency cash assistance and food aid as safety nets during the pandemic to help vulnerable households cope with the impending economic crisis and to improve food security in the country. This cross-sectional study assesses the association of social safety net programs with household food security (i.e., food secure, consistently food insecure, and newly food insecure) in Cavite province, Philippines. Findings show that being beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the Social Amelioration Program are associated with being consistently and newly food insecure. Furthermore, households that obtained food from the community pantry, a volunteer-led movement during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic are also associated with food insecurity. On the other hand, the households that were provided with food packs, across different socioeconomic conditions, are not significantly associated with food insecurity. The study also affirms that households most vulnerable to food crises in the context of COVID-19 are those who are consistently food insecure and were already exposed to critical food and dietary deprivations before the onset of the pandemic. There is much to be done to improve the safety net programs in the country. The study results can add information and policy recommendations toward strengthening the services for vulnerable population groups to withstand short- and long-term food system disruptions and eventually build food-resilient households and communities.

Asymmetric Analysis of Causal Relations in the Informality–Globalisation Nexus in Africa

This study examines the causal relationship between informality and globalisation in 30 African countries. It deviates from traditional research by adopting a bi-directional framework to address reverse causality. By applying the DH causality method in both linear and nonlinear frameworks, this research challenges the assumption of a linear relationship and finds that the causal structure is better explained within a nonlinear asymmetric context. This paper provides recommendations based on the identified causal relationships. For countries in which globalisation leads to informality, such as Angola, Congo, Guinea, Gambia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the paper suggests policy measures to integrate the informal sector into the formal economy. These measures include designing programmes to facilitate transition, implementing skill development initiatives, and establishing support mechanisms for entrepreneurship and small businesses. Additionally, this paper advises the development of social safety nets, improved market access, effective monitoring and regulation mechanisms, education on the benefits of globalisation, and international cooperation. For countries experiencing positive shocks from informality to globalisation, this paper recommends targeted support programs for entrepreneurship, initiatives to formalize the sector, the enhancement of market access, and skill development tailored to the needs of the informal sector. These policy recommendations aim to capitalize on the positive shocks in informality by fostering entrepreneurship, formalization, market access, and skill development. In the case of negative shocks in globalisation leading to positive shocks in informality, the paper suggests implementing resilience-building policies for the informal sector during economic downturns, establishing social safety nets, and adopting flexible labour policies.

Andaleeb Rahman and Prabhu Pingali: The Future of India’s Social Safety Nets: Focus, Form, and Scope

Andaleeb Rahman and Prabhu Pingali: The Future of India’s Social Safety Nets: Focus, Form, and Scope

Community resource and social safety net information, knowledge, and use among parents of young children in a homeless shelter

Homelessness among families with young children challenges parents and entails risks to development. Community resources (CR) and social safety nets (SN) buffer risks and build resilience. Yet, some families who experience homelessness are not connected to CR and SN, precluding more resilient outcomes. Little is known about how families experiencing homelessness learn about CR and SN and how they use them. Information about CR and SN is critical for improving access to and use of supports. We asked sixteen parents with young children living in a homeless shelter how they learn about CR and SN, and how they use those CR/SN. Parents primarily used self-reliance, and not professional helpers, to learn about CR and SN by purposefully seeking information and by using knowledge from previous experiences of homelessness and poverty. Families were not always enrolled in CR/SN suggesting missed opportunities for more resilient outcomes.

Analyzing variability in urban energy poverty: A stochastic modeling and Monte Carlo simulation approach

Urban energy poverty remains a critical challenge affecting millions worldwide, with significant implications for socio-economic development and sustainability. This study employs Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the variability in energy poverty, as measured by the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI). Through this approach, we explored how different socio-economic predictors affect MEPI scores across five scenarios: economic growth and diversification, energy transition and technological innovation, climate change impacts and vulnerability, policy intervention and social safety nets, and stagnation and rising inequality. The sensitivity analysis revealed that household income, size, and food security are paramount in influencing urban energy poverty levels. Scenarios involving economic growth and technological innovation demonstrated positive impacts on reducing energy poverty, while scenarios of climate change and economic stagnation highlighted the vulnerabilities and widening disparities within populations. The results suggest that to effectively alleviate urban energy poverty, policy interventions must be comprehensive, targeting the identified influential factors. The study emphasizes the need for targeted policy interventions on social safety nets to alleviate energy poverty.