Single Households Research Articles

Health and well-being during the pandemic: views and support needs of older adults who lived alone

Abstract Background Physical and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic had the potential to jeopardize health and well-being of older adults. Especially older adults who lived alone faced challenges due to restrictive COVID-19 measures. In this study, we explored views and support needs to maintain health and well-being of older adults living in a single household during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis, including twenty semi-structured interviews with older adults (≥65 years old) living in single households during the pandemic. Interviews were conducted between June and September 2021, audio-recorded and lasted approximately one hour. Data analysis was guided by the heuristic framework of Smith et al. Trustworthiness of the study was enhanced through bracketing and multiple interdisciplinary moments of revision of the data analysis. Results The views and support needs of participants to maintain health and well-being during the pandemic were captured in three overarching themes: ‘A lingering search for connectedness’, ‘Dealing with a discouraging situation to stay well’, and ‘Leaning on lessons learned during life’. Important resources that enabled participants to maintain health and well-being were: experiences of social connectedness, acceptance of the situation, and (re)gaining a sense of control. Participants described how they leaned on lessons learned from life-experiences when facing situations that challenged their health and well-being. Conclusions Our study points out that views and support needs of older adults to maintain health and well-being during the pandemic were diverse and rooted in various coping mechanisms. During future situations similar to the pandemic, public health policies should include strategies to promote social connectedness among older adults who live alone, to prevent adverse health outcomes. Key messages • Experiences of social connectedness, acceptance, and (re)gaining a sense of control were coping mechanisms that enabled older adults to maintain health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. • Public health policies should include strategies to promote social connectedness among older adults who live alone, to prevent adverse health outcomes during future pandemics.

‘Proud of our families’: single-parent activism in the 1990s1

ABSTRACT This article explores the history of the Bristol-based organisation Single-Parent Action Network (SPAN), and its challenge to mainstream understandings of single parenthood. A sharp increase in single parent-led households since the 1970s had been met by a political and social narrative that single-parent families (c. 90% of them headed by women) were both a drain on the public purse and a root cause of social breakdown. Both the Conservatives and New Labour supported policies that aimed to decrease welfare dependency by increasing child support payments from absent fathers and getting single mothers into paid work. These policies—which reconceptualised single mothers as workers rather than carers—were opposed by SPAN, a multi-racial and women-led national and international network, which sought to challenge the stigmatisation of single parents. SPAN’s work and organisational self-understanding were underpinned by ideas and practices that had their origins in the 1970s and 1980s Black, women’s and community activism: anti-racism, a feminist understanding of care as work, and the importance of lived experience in the political process. Although SPAN often seemed out of step with modernised and professional NGOs, the values it espoused were to prove remarkably persistent and re-emerge in the new millennium in unexpected ways.

Assessment of Water Consumption Behavior in Single Households Using Smart Water Meters

Smart meters monitor hourly water consumption patterns while reducing the cost and inconvenience of traditional meters. This study comprehensively analyzes 1871 households that previously used traditional meters from the distribution point to the distribution area. All the households were equipped with smart meters and the data collected were used for analysis. On the basis of the total estimated water consumption, 227 households were classified as single households. These households were further classified into single-worker and -nonworker households. This study analyzed smart meter data to evaluate the timings and amounts of water consumption peaks. The results indicate that worker households peaked at 8:00, with 29 L/h of consumption on weekdays, and peaked again on evenings at 20:00–21:00, averaging 32 L/h. For nonworker households, the peak occurred at 9:00, with 20 L/h, with no major changes in the afternoon, and a second peak occurred at 19:00–20:00 in evening, with an average of 19 L/h. Moreover, worker households peaked at 8:00 and 20:00 on weekdays, and at 9:00 and 19:00 on weekends. It was revealed that worker households consume 10% more on weekends than on weekdays, and 262% more from 13:00 to 16:00. These findings may assist in water supply planning by supporting distribution schedules on the basis of peak household consumption, leading to more helpful resource management.

Firearm Homicide Mortality is Linked to Food Insecurity in Major US Metropolitan Cities.

Gun violence disproportionately affects metropolitan areas of the United States (US). There is limited information regarding the influence of social determinants of health, such as food insecurity (FI) on firearm homicide mortality (FHM) in major metropolitan cities in the US. We sought to examine the relationship between FI and FHM. This was a cross-sectional analysis examining the largest 51 US major metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) using data from 2018. Demographic data, markers of social inequities, and firearm homicide data were obtained from the US Census Bureau, US Department of Education, and the Frey and Brookings Institute. Food insecurity prevalence was obtained from Feeding America. Spearman ρ and linear regression were performed. Using Spearman rho analysis, higher FI (r = 0.55, P < 0.001) was associated with FHM. Other variables associated with FHM included percent Black/African American (AA) (r = 0.77, P < 0.001), poverty rate (r = 0.53, P < 0.001), and percent of children living in single parent households (r = 0.58, P < 0.001). In linear regression analyses, FI was associated with increased FHM, with 1.3 additional FHM events for each unit increase in FI (β = 1.33, 95% CI 0.27-2.39, P = 0.02). The percent of a population that is Black/AA was also associated with FHM, with more than 4 additional cases for each 1% increase in the population (β = 4.32, 95% CI 3.26-5.38, P < 0.001). Food insecurity may influence FHM in major US metropolitan cities. Community- and hospital-based programs that target FI may help combat the gun violence epidemic and decrease gun violence.

Fire Safety Disparities in Sweden: Sociodemographic Influences and the Impact of Societal Protection on Personal Fire Prevention Measures

AbstractPrevious research has identified sociodemographic inequalities in fire prevention measures. This study examined whether sociodemographic differences persist in the Swedish population concerning fire prevention measures and particularly whether there remains an inverted u-curve related to age in protection habits. Additionally, it investigated whether fire protection practices are influenced by the level of societal protection. The research utilised survey data and register data from The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and Statistics Sweden. A latent class analysis was conducted, dividing respondents into four latent classes, followed by two binomial regression analyses. The study revealed three key findings regarding fire protection measures. First, certain demographic groups, namely the young, women, single and childfree households, low-income and low-education individuals, immigrants, and urban residents, are disproportionately lacking optimal fire safety measures. Second, although a safety maturity curve is still observed, older adults in Sweden today are considerably more protected compared to 15–20 years ago, indicating that safety practices employed during middle age continue into old age. Third, a trend is observed where individuals living in areas with more efficient professional rescue services tend to have lower levels of personal fire protection, suggesting a rational choice based on the perceived level of societal protection.

Financial Portfolio Analysis of Single Households: Monthly Saving and Financial Assets

The purpose of this study was to analyze the financial portfolios of single-person households. For the analysis, data from the Korean Labor Panel Survey (2021) was utilized, comprising 2,905 single-person households. The major findings are as follows: First, the proportion of households with monthly savings was 32.0%, while the proportion of households holding financial assets was 72.1%. Second, regarding the composition of monthly savings, single-person households predominantly held savings accounts (93.3%), followed by insurance (4.7%), with cumulative funds at a mere 0.8%. The composition of financial assets showed that the majority were in bank deposits (78.5%), followed by risk management assets (18.0%), and investment assets (2.4%). Third, multivariate analysis results revealed that younger age, higher education level, and better financial factors were associated with a higher probability of having monthly savings. The results for financial assets were largely similar, with females showing a higher likelihood of asset possession compared to males. Fourth, the proportions of both bank savings in total savings and insurance generally had opposing effects. Fifth, age group had the greatest influence on the proportions of safety and insurance assets, followed by income group. Middle-aged households had lower proportions of safety assets but higher proportions of insurance assets compared to young households, while the opposite trend was observed for elderly households. Middle-income households had higher proportions of insurance assets compared to low-income households, whereas high-income households had higher proportions of investment assets. Lastly, cluster analysis categorized single-person households' financial portfolios into five groups: Group 1 (32.2%): "Old-Sustain" characterized by insufficient current income but economically stable retirement. Group 2 (29.4%): "Financially Active" engaging in various financial activities due to relatively high education and employment rates. Group 3 (28.0%): "Financially Inactive" classified as elderly groups with minimal financial activities. Group 4 (9.1%): "Risk Financial Structure" consisting of relatively young individuals focused on risk management assets but facing issues in financial asset management due to high-risk assets and financial loans. Group 5 (1.3%): "Stable-Insurance Oriented" with high financial assets and income concentrated in insurance for both savings and financial assets.

Examining knowledge of cancer-related family history in an urban underserved patient population.

e22550 Background: An accurate assessment of family history of cancer is essential in assigning cancer risk, and in decision making regarding the timing and method of cancer screening. However, obtaining a complete and accurate cancer-related family history, including first- and second-degree relatives, is often challenging in underserved communities. Familial dynamics such as single parent households, kinship care, and estrangement may act as barriers to an individual’s knowledge of their family health history. Presently, Electronic Medical Record systems constrain users to a binary documentation of cancer history as either ‘yes’ or ‘no’. However, patients may be unaware or uncertain of their family’s cancer history. These unknowns are not captured, resulting in poor understanding of patient knowledge regarding their family history of cancer. Objective: To assess knowledge of cancer-related family history for first- and second-degree relatives among an urban underserved patient population. Funding source: The American Cancer Society. Methods: University of Illinois Health patients aged 45-75 years without a history of colorectal cancer, who received an order for colorectal cancer screening through fecal immunochemical testing or screening colonoscopy were eligible to participate. A total of 88 respondents completed a 23-item telephone survey assessing knowledge of their family cancer health history using a 5-point Likert scale. Surveys were administered in both English and Spanish languages. Results: Of the 88 survey participants, 50 (57%) were female, 54 (61%) were of black or African American race, and 31 (36%) were of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity. On a single-item question assessing overall knowledge of their cancer-related family history, 35 (39.7%) responded they know it well or very well, versus 13 (14.8%) with little or no knowledge. On knowledge of maternal cancer related history, 8 participants (9.1%) reported little or no knowledge of their mother’s cancer history, and 29 participants (33%) reported little or no knowledge of their maternal relatives’ cancer history. On knowledge of their father’s cancer history, 35 (39.8%) reported little or no knowledge of their father’s cancer history, and 48 participants (54.5%) reported little or no knowledge of their paternal relatives’ cancer history. Conclusions: This original research study addresses the current gap in understanding patient knowledge regarding familial cancer health history. Survey results demonstrate a striking discrepancy between respondent reported overall knowledge of cancer-related family history, and knowledge of their maternal and paternal cancer histories. Moreover, respondents reported increased knowledge of their mother’s versus father’s cancer history p &lt; 0.0001. Improved recognition of unknown family history in first- and second-degree family members may improve cancer-risk assessment.

Dog ecology and rabies control including canine vaccination coverage: Impacts from a survey in Madagascar.

Rabies virus (RABV; species Lyssavirus rabies) is causing one of the oldest zoonotic diseases known to mankind, leading to fatal encephalomyelitis in animals and humans. Despite the existence of safe and effective vaccines to prevent the disease, an estimated 99% of human rabies deaths worldwide are caused by dog-mediated rabies with children at the highest risk of infection. Rabies has been endemic in Madagascar for over a century, yet there has been little research evaluating local knowledge and practices impacting on the rabies control and prevention. Thus, this study was undertaken to better understand the dog ecology including canine vaccine coverage and to assess knowledge and practices of dog owners and veterinarians. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 123 dog-owning households in thirteen fokontanys in Mahajanga from July 4 to September 13, 2016. Single and multi-member dog-owning households in the study area on the day of the interview were eligible for inclusion and purposively selected with the support of a local guide. The survey included a household questionnaire capturing information on the dog's demographics, husbandry practices, knowledge and practices towards rabies and its control measures; the dog ecology questionnaire collected dog characteristics, vaccination status and husbandry practices. All households that reported a dog bite incident, were invited to participate in a dog bite questionnaire. In addition, direct observations of roaming dogs were conducted to assess dog population demographics and to document behavioural characteristics. Two veterinarians were purposively selected and took part in an interview during the survey period, providing information on rabies control activities, including dog-care practices in the area. Descriptive and inferential data analyses were performed using Epi Info version 7.1.5.0 (CDC Atlanta, USA). We recorded a total of 400 dogs, of which 338 (84.5%) were owned amongst 123 households. More than half (67.8%) of owned dogs were between 1 to 5 years old and 95.6% were kept for guarding purposes. 45% of the surveyed dogs had free access to roam outside the premises. The majority (85.4%) of dog owners were knowledgeable that a dog bite could potentially transmit RABV to humans. 19 dog bites were reported and of these 73.6% were caused by the owner's or a neighbour's dog. In 6 of the 19 cases, children between 7 and 15 years of age were the victims. Dog vaccination coverage against rabies was 34% among owned dogs. Of the participants aware of a veterinarian, the majority (55/82) indicated that they accessed veterinarian services at irregular intervals. The main obstacles to vaccinations cited by dog owners were limited financial resources and difficulty accessing veterinary care. This study contributes to enhanced understanding of the dog ecology including canine vaccine coverage as well as knowledge and practices of dog owners in Madagascar. Most dogs in the study area were accessible for preventive vaccination through their owners, however only one third of the investigated canine population was vaccinated against rabies. Concerted national efforts towards rabies prevention and control should aim to address financial challenges and access to veterinary services.

Increasing single households challenges household decarbonization in Japan

In light of societal shifts such as an aging population, delayed marriages, and higher rates of divorce, there's a notable rise in solitary living, affecting society, the economy, and the environment. To understand the implications of these demographic shifts, our research examines the nexus between solo living and its broader social-environmental consequences. Using Japan, one of the countries with the highest proportion of the elderly, as a reference, we explore the temporal fluctuations, gender-specific variances, and long-term trends in carbon footprints influenced by alterations in consumption behaviors. Results indicate that housing energy and food consumption remain the dominant carbon footprint contributors across all demographic sectors. Interestingly, single households present higher carbon footprints than non-single households, with those of single females surpassing their male counterparts due to increased household energy use and expenditures on clothing and healthcare. Following the demographic shifts, single households are expected to account for approximately 31.1% of Japan's emissions from households by 2040, challenging national decarbonization efforts due to their higher per capita emissions. This highlights the imperative for bespoke strategies, especially in resource allocation and sharing, to address the solo living challenge and ensure congruence with Japan's sustainability and decarbonization goals.

THE INTERSECTION OF MODERNITY AND RESIDENTIAL SPACE

The social and economic landscape of the globe has changed dramatically and daily life is still evolving quickly. People are in a better place than they have ever been and in the next 25 years the standard of living is predicted to quadruple. Apart from the economic shifts, there have also been a number of social shifts, including the rise in nuclear families, the DINC (double income, no children) phenomenon, and single parent households. A new urban atmosphere has been established by the altered social attitudes and rituals of urban living. Thus, the function of modern residential architecture is undergoing a similar transition, moving from one of only providing shelter to one of creating "Life Style-oriented Environments." Thus, in order to improve liveability and happiness at home the focus is now on "How the space is programmed with features." Changes in Employment trends with innovations in technology and communications have made the central workplace less necessary and a portion of home becoming an extension of the workplace. Also, modifications in the makeup of households, such as married people without children, single parents, and single individuals. Another reason is a shift in values where leisure and cultural pursuits are given greater weight and a willingness to spend more time in the safety and comfort of a well-designed home are prioritized. The way that modern residential architecture is planned, created and sold is being redefined by all of these developments. Therefore, choosing to buy a new house is mostly determined by lifestyle factors with purchasers seeking for specialized items with floor plans that suit and represent their unique lives. With a focus on lifestyle-oriented design, residences are arranged as a collection of component sections, with each component area planned differently for a variety of household types. The goal of this paper is to go into depth of various component areas, their space needs and their interactions with one another for various lifestyle-oriented houses in today's society.

Caregivers of Children with Special Healthcare Needs: A Quantitative Examination of Work-Family Culture, Caregiver Burden, and Work-Life Balance

The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between organizational work-family culture, caregiver burden, and work-life balance among employed caregivers of children with special healthcare needs. The potential moderating role of organizational work-family culture in the relationship between caregiver burden and work-life balance was also investigated. Using convenience sampling, data were collected from 150 primary caregivers who work or recently worked in the past three months and have at least one child with a special healthcare need. Participants completed an online survey. Findings revealed increasing caregiver burden was related to lower work-life balance, while organizational work-family culture was positively related to it. Organizational work-family culture, and two of its three facets (i.e., managerial support and time demands), were significant moderators, but only before COVID-19. Future researchers could focus on underrepresented groups and communities, examine organizational work-family culture in various industries, and improve work-life balance during social and economic downturns. With increases in dual earner and single parent households, employers should consider how their culture supports employees with households with a child with special healthcare needs. This is the first study to apply organizational work-family culture to employed caregivers with a child with special healthcare needs and test it as a moderator of the relationship between caregiver burden and work-life balance.

주택수요와 주택구매력 차이의 결정요인에 대한 연구

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to examine the main determinants of the gap between housing demand and house affordability. Design/methodology/approach - This study used the micro-level data of 60,043 households from Korea Housing-Finance Corporation by covering the period 2011 to 2022. Findings - First, the trend of general housing demand showed a higher figure in the future demand than in current demand. And such a tendency showed in all types of households, a relative young, low income, and single households. In the case of current housing demand, it has increased by 2022 from the beginning of 2013, while the future demand has rapidly increased from 2020. Second, although the house affordability showed a higher figure in current housing demand by 2019, its trend changed to be higher in future housing demand from 2020 by a rapid decreasing affordbility in current demand. In the case of young householders, the current house affordability was higher than that of future. The figure of low income householders was below 1 point in both periods, and house affordability of single householders showed a similar level in both periods. which showed over 1 point. Third, financial regulation on housing markets induced th widening of the gap between housing demand and house affordability, and such a trend is much atronger in the future(potential) gap of demand and affordability. More specifically, the strengthen financial regulation leaded to the widening of the gap in all types of households, a relative young, low income, and single households. Research implications or Originality - The effect of financial regulation is necessary to consider under the features of each households.

Parental risk factors and children entering out-of-home care: The effects of cumulative risk and parent’s sex

BackgroundParental difficulties, including mental ill health, substance misuse, domestic violence and learning disability have been associated with children entering out-of-home care. There is also evidence that these issues may co-occur within families. Understanding how the co-occurrence of these difficulties is associated with care entry is complex because they may co-occur in the same or different household members and have different impacts on the likelihood of care entry when they occur in mothers, fathers or in single parent households. MethodAdministrative data from local authority children’s services in Wales were linked with demographic data to identify households in which children lived prior to entering care. Linkage to birth data identified biological mothers. Linkage with primary care, emergency department, hospital admissions and substance misuse services data enabled indicators of substance misuse, mental health, assaults in the home, learning disability and neurodivergence in the adults in those households to be identified. A series of multilevel binary logistic regression models were used to explore the odds of a household having one or more children entering care if risk factors were present. These considered the effects of individual risks, and cumulative risk both in individual adults in the household, and across the whole household. The effects of the number of adults, having adults with no risks and the differential impacts of risks in biological mothers, other women or men were also explored. Additional models explored these factors in single adult households. ResultsCumulative risks increased the likelihood of care entry, however this effect disappeared when individual risks were controlled for. The presence of an individual with no risks in the household acted as a protective factor. Overall, the impact of the risks on the odds of care entry was substantially greater if the risks were present in the biological mother than if they occurred in other adults (men or women) in the household. In single adult households risk factors had a much greater impact when they occurred in households headed by women as opposed to men. ConclusionSubstantial differences in the effects of risk factors in female and male adults are apparent and further research is needed to understand why this is occurring to ensure that parents are treated equally in terms of support and statutory intervention regardless of their sex.11Throughout this paper we refer to the “sex” of the parents /adults in households, as opposed to their “gender.” This is because in the analysis we carried out the sex of these individuals was determined by their GP records. We have chosen to use the term “sex,” rather than “gender,” as we believe this data is more likely to reflect their biological sex, rather the gender that the individuals identify as.

Exercise Promotion System for Single Households Based on Agent-Oriented IoT Architecture.

People living alone encounter well-being challenges due to unnoticed personal situations. Thus, it is essential to monitor their activities and encourage them to adopt healthy lifestyle habits without imposing a mental burden, aiming to enhance their overall well-being. To realize such a support system, its components should be simple and loosely coupled to handle various internet of things (IoT)-based smart home applications. In this study, we propose an exercise promotion system for individuals living alone to encourage them to adopt good lifestyle habits. The system comprises autonomous IoT devices as agents and is realized using an agent-oriented IoT architecture. It estimates user activity via sensors and offers exercise advice based on recognized conditions, surroundings, and preferences. The proposed system accepts user feedback to improve status estimation accuracy and offers better advice. The proposed system was evaluated from three perspectives through experiments with subjects. Initially, we demonstrated the system's operation through agent cooperation. Then, we showed it adapts to user preferences within two weeks. Third, the users expressed satisfaction with the detection accuracy regarding their stay-at-home status and the relevance of the advice provided. They were also motivated to engage in exercise based on a subjective evaluation, as indicated by preliminary results.

1인가구의 행복에 영향을 미치는 심리사회적 요인

This study examined the level of happiness and verified the effect of psycho-social factors on happiness of single person households by life cycle. Data from the Wave 2 of the Korean Happiness Study was used. The final sample for the analyses included data from 1,452 adults aged 20 or older who responded as a single-person household and multiple regression analyses were conducted for each life cycle of youth, middle age, and old age. The main results of this study are as follows. The happiness level of all single-person households was found to be average and decreased from youth to old age. In particular, the level of happiness in middle-aged and old age was found to be relatively low compared to youth. In addition, psychosocial factors affecting the happiness of single-person households were different by the life cycle. Satisfaction with standard of living, satisfaction with future stability, depression and social support were common predictive factors that affected the happiness of single-person households in all life cycles. On the other hand, only a sense of safety in youth, trust in others, social equality, self-rated health status, and stress in middle-aged age, and volunteer activities and satisfaction with neighborhood environment and community belonging in old age were the only new predictive factors that affected the happiness of single-person households. Based on this, policy and practical implications for improving the happiness of single-person households were suggested.

A305 ANONYMOUS LIVING LIVER DONATION IMPROVES ACCESS FOR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED CHILDREN IN NEED OF LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

Abstract Background Since our first pediatric anonymous non-directed live donor liver transplant (A-LDLT) performed in April 2005, 62 children have undergone live donor liver transplant (LDLT) with an anonymous non-directed graft. Anon-LDLT organs being allocated as per our deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) wait list. Aims To evaluate clinical outcomes, recipient characteristics and social determinants of health of pediatric recipients of A-LDLT in comparison to those who received a directed LDLT (Dir-LDLT) and DDLT. Methods Retrospective analysis of all recipients of LDLT performed between January 2005 and March 2023. Demographic and clinical data included age, sex, race, ethnicity, single-parent households, primary diagnosis, recipient blood type, time on waiting list, post-LT intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), time to extubation, and post-transplant comorbidities were assessed as covariates. A comparative analysis was conducted between children receiving A-LDLT, Dir-LDLT versus DDLT. Results A total of 422 (50% male, 57% white, 23% Asian, 7% Black, 5% indigenous) childrenunderwent LT during the study period. Biliary atresia (40%) and metabolic diseases (19%) were the commonest primary indications. A-LDLT was done in 62 children (15%) with no directed donor options. Dir-LDLT was in 174 children (41%). Of 186 DDLTs (44%), 25% were split grafts, 26% reduced, and 49% whole liver grafts. In A-LDLT recipients, the primary diseases were more frequently characterized by metabolic disorders (31%), while the incidence of acute liver failure was notably lower (0%). Recipients of Anon-LDLT were more often Indigenous recipients in comparison to Dir-LDLT or DDLT recipients (p=0.044). Anon-LDLT recipients were more frequently living in single parent households (18% vs 3% vs 10%, pampersand:003C0.001) and to require interpreter assistance (11% vs 3% vs 0.5%, pampersand:003C0.001) (Table), compared to children who received Dir-LDLT or DDLT. Median time on the wait list was longer for Anon-LDLT (92 days) compared to Dir-LDLT (62 days) and DDLT (72 days) recipients (p=0.004). Post-LT ICU LOS, time to extubation, other post-LT complications or patient prognosis were better in the A-LDLT and Dir-LDLT recipients than DDLT recipients. Conclusions This retrospective analysis of 422 children undergoing LT at a single institution confirms excellent patient and graft survival for A-LDLT recipients. Patients from Indigenous communities, single parent and households where English is a second language, are more frequently the beneficiaries of Anon-LDLT grafts. Anon-LDLT, as utilized in this single center analysis, benefits medically underserved pediatric patients who otherwise have limited access to the advantages of LT. Funding Agencies None

Sweet home or battle of the sexes: who dominates food purchasing decisions?

By analysing big data collected from 1990 to 2017 on the consumption behaviours of men and women living alone and in heterosexual couples in Switzerland, we classified 75 food items in terms of their consumption within couple versus single households. We defined and quantified the gender dominance exhibited in the food purchasing activities of couples. Our results showed that to form consumption of couples, the average consumption of single women weighted 0.6, while that of men weighted 0.38. In addition, couples were found to consume more drinks and pricier foods than singles. Our findings span various areas, including the socioeconomics of food, food choice, social eating, gender power, eating behaviour and population and consumer studies. The robustness of the findings may be validated for other countries and cultures, and the findings may be of interest to researchers from various fields.

Evidence from Empirical Studies: Which Groups of Individuals Experience More Severe Income Hardship Due to COVID-19 Infection?

There is a lack of evidence on whether a pandemic exacerbates economic inequalities among disadvantaged groups. This study examined whether the income of single households was affected by sample adults who were infected with COVID-19. I used NHIS data, compared the average income between infected sample adults and uninfected for each of the sub-groups, and constructed the difference in the difference graph based on the mean value. Also, using a difference-in-difference model to confirm statistically significant differences in mean income between the different groups. The results show that full-time sample adults infected with COVID-19 have significantly lower incomes than those uninfected; the sample adults with hypertension, low education, or non-metropolitan residents groups, who were not infected with COVID-19 were the most disadvantaged financially. The main reason for these unexpected results may be that the unemployment of infected persons instead qualifies them for high benefits.

Effect of a Financial Education and Coaching Program for Low-Income, Single Mother Households on Child Health Outcomes.

The financial difficulties of parents have a negative impact on the health of their children. This problem is more pronounced in single mother families. There is limited research on low-income, single mothers and how interventions to help them address financial difficulties may also benefit their children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a year-long financial education and coaching program on school absenteeism and health care utilization of children in employed, low-income, single mother households. This was a post hoc analysis of the Finances First study, a randomized controlled trial conducted in 2017-2020 examining the impact of a financial coaching and education program on economic stability and health outcomes in 345 low-income, single mothers. Either generalized estimating equations (GEEs) or generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to account for relationships between participants. For the continuous outcomes of child absenteeism, physician visits, emergency room visits, and hospitalization days, a linear mixed-effects model was used. The Finances First study demonstrated improvements in various financial strain measures. Compared to the control group, children of intervention group participants experienced 1 fewer day of school absence (p = 0.049) and 1 fewer physician visit (p = 0.032) per year, but no impact was seen on emergency room visits (p = 0.55) or hospitalizations (p = 0.92). Addressing social determinants of health in parents is necessary for improving child health outcomes.

Vegetarians in Germany

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, this article examines (1) the prevalence of vegetarians in Germany, (2) their social profile, and (3) dynamic features of a vegetarian diet and short-term effects on subjective health. As in many other Western countries, the prevalence of vegetarians and vegans in Germany is on an upward trend. In the period 2016–2020, about 7 percent of the Germans declared themselves as vegetarians (including vegans). The probability of being a vegetarian is higher among women, younger people, the better educated, those living in single households, residents of urban areas, and those who support the green political party. We observe considerable temporal stability of individual dietary patterns – mainly due to a dominant group of continuous non-vegetarians (almost 90 percent). We also test a special variant of the health-benefit hypothesis of a vegetarian diet. We find no support of this hypothesis when looking at short-term effects on individuals’ overall assessment of their personal health.