Social Indicators Research Articles

Correction: Towards the Next Fifty Years of Social Indicators Research: Some Guidance for Authors

Correction: Towards the Next Fifty Years of Social Indicators Research: Some Guidance for Authors

The effect of social media usage and the quality of information from the instagram account @DITJENPAJAKRI on the fulfillment of tax information needs of PKN STAN students

This study aims to analyze the influence of Instagram social media usage and the information quality of the @ditjenpajakri account on fulfilling the tax information needs of PKN STAN students. Using a quantitative method with a survey approach, data were collected from 97 active PKN STAN students through a questionnaire. The analysis results indicate that social media usage and the information quality of @ditjenpajakri significantly influence the fulfillment of PKN STAN students' tax information needs, with an F-test value of 0.0000. The four social media indicators—context, communication, collaboration, and connection—were well-rated by respondents, who agreed that these factors effectively meet their information needs. Most respondents agree that the content uploaded by @ditjenpajakri meets the criteria for high-quality information, including accuracy, timeliness, relevance, and completeness. It is expected that the Directorate General of Taxes will maintain and improve the quality of content on Instagram, particularly in terms of accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of information.

Evolution of the Planning Paradigm and Urban Design of Housing Complexes in the Context of Changing Challenges in Ukraine: Case of Lviv

The study provides a retrospective of the housing development in Lviv and the factors that affected it. Using the general process of housing evolution, the study focuses on the impact of the war as a catalyst that influenced the demand and volume of housing construction over the last decade. Moreover, it reflects the unprecedented demographic shift driven by the number of IDPs in Ukraine since the beginning of 2022. The study demonstrates that, due to the increased demand for housing, the approaches to the design of housing have changed in recent years, defining a new type of urban unit called a housing complex. The study aims to identify and examine the genesis and characteristics of the modern planning paradigm and urban design of residential architecture in Lviv in the context of shifting conditions. Spatial and urban characteristics, social indicators, resident focus, and urban influence evaluate the studied objects. The study results demonstrate key differences in planning philosophies and approaches to designing and constructing new housing, identifying qualitative differences between housing of the previous and current paradigms. A detailed examination and comparison of the studied complexes in Lviv reveals changes in the approach to their planning, reflecting the evolution from the inherited modernist approach to housing to the creation of sustainable planning. It also aims to determine the quality of Lviv's modern housing environment and the vector of its development.

Prevalent Adverse Childhood Experiences Among Young Adults Returning Home From Jail: The Need for Trauma-Informed Reentry Services.

Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and the extent to which they relate to health among young adults (ages 18-25) returning home from jail is underexamined. To build on the growing literature examining associations between ACE exposure among young people involved with carceral systems and health, we (1) measured ACE prevalence and (2) explored associations between ACEs and health/well-being indicators among young adults experiencing reentry. Using a telephone survey on reentry experiences, participants completed an ACE screening, single-item responses on health and social indicators, and five-item responses on substance misuse. Fisher's exact tests and t tests compared sociodemographic and health-related factors by the levels of ACEs. Among the 85 participants, 66 (78%) reported four or more ACEs and 48 (56%) reported six or more ACEs, including divorced parents (n = 69, 81%), witnessing violence (n = 63, 74%), and household member incarceration (n = 60, 71%). Higher exposure to ACEs was associated with mental health diagnoses, psychiatric medication prescriptions, psychiatric hospitalizations, drug dependence, binge drinking, and cannabis misuse. High ACE exposure among young adults experiencing reentry portends worse mental health and high rates of substance use. Findings signify an opportunity to apply a trauma-focused developmental framework to support emerging adults during the crucial reentry period.

Evolution of the Planning Paradigm and Urban Design of Housing Complexes in the Context of Changing Challenges in Ukraine: Case of Lviv

The study provides a retrospective of the housing development in Lviv and the factors that affected it. Using the general process of housing evolution, the study focuses on the impact of the war as a catalyst that influenced the demand and volume of housing construction over the last decade. Moreover, it reflects the unprecedented demographic shift driven by the number of IDPs in Ukraine since the beginning of 2022. The study demonstrates that, due to the increased demand for housing, the approaches to the design of housing have changed in recent years, defining a new type of urban unit called a housing complex. The study aims to identify and examine the genesis and characteristics of the modern planning paradigm and urban design of residential architecture in Lviv in the context of shifting conditions. Spatial and urban characteristics, social indicators, resident focus, and urban influence evaluate the studied objects. The study results demonstrate key differences in planning philosophies and approaches to designing and constructing new housing, identifying qualitative differences between housing of the previous and current paradigms. A detailed examination and comparison of the studied complexes in Lviv reveals changes in the approach to their planning, reflecting the evolution from the inherited modernist approach to housing to the creation of sustainable planning. It also aims to determine the quality of Lviv's modern housing environment and the vector of its development.

Selected social impact indicators influenced by materials for green energy technologies

The social risks of green energy transition are underexplored. One of the important questions is which materials used in green energy technologies offer the greatest social benefits, such as ensuring decent living conditions, and which pose the most social risks. To address this issue, we develop a dynamic material-energy flow model integrating system dynamics, social life cycle assessment, and geometallurgical approaches. The analysis focuses on critical materials: Rare Earth Elements, Nickel, Silicon, Graphite, Magnesium, Gallium, Germanium, Indium, Aluminum, Cobalt, Lithium, Zinc, and Tellurium used in wind turbines, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar photovoltaic panels. We assess their social impact on work safety, gender equality, informal employment, labor income share, employment rate, and child labor—key issues addressed by Sustainable Development Goals 1, 5, and 8. Here we show that Aluminum production for electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels generates the most jobs and income opportunities, while extraction of Cobalt, Lithium, Silicon, and Zinc carry the highest social risks.

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Greek Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background and Objectives: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is regularly used by several patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in many countries. Data concerning the use of CAM in Greek patients with IBD are lacking. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and indicators of CAM use in Greek IBD patients. Patients and Methods: Adult patients with IBD attending our specialized IBD department in “Metropolitan General” Hospital, Holargos, Greece, completed a special questionnaire regarding the use of CAM. Several clinical and epidemiological characteristics were recorded. The results were compared with a disease-control group (patients with irritable bowel syndrome or gastroesophageal reflux disease). The study outcome was the prevalence of CAM use in both groups. In this study, 270 patients, of whom 128 were female, with IBD (Crohn’s disease 134 and ulcerative colitis 136) and a median age of 42.3 ± 17.5 years (range 31–52), and 138 patients serving as the disease control group were analyzed. Results: The prevalence of previous and current CAM use in patients with IBD was 36.3% versus 27.5% in the control group (no significant differences). No significant differences were also noticed between the patients with either CD or UC. In the multivariable analysis, university education and treatment with steroids and TNF-α inhibitors were independent social indicators of CAM use. Conclusions: The percentage of CAM use by the Greek patients with IBD was quite high, similar to other European countries. Although numerically higher, this percentage was not significantly different compared with the disease control group. The use of CAM in IBD patients in Greece is associated with a higher educational level, and treatment with steroids and TNF-α inhibitors.

Health Impacts of Disasters and Social Indicators: An Ecological Study

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between certain social indicators and the mortality and morbidity in disasters recorded in the EM-DAT database within countries in the last decade. The correlation between the mortality and morbidity in disasters recorded in the EM-DAT database between March 1, 2014-2024 and the most recent data on Human Development Index (HDI), Gender Inequality Index (GII), Gini Coefficient (GC), Government Health Expenditure as a share of GDP (GHE/GDP) and Corruption Perception Index (CPI) were analyzed. During the period of the study, disasters from a total of 207 countries/regions were recorded in the database. The median (IQR) values of countries in disasters were found to be 35.1 (67.5) for death per million and 76.3 (783.0) for injury per million. The most frequent types of disasters, the most frequent cause of mortality and the most frequent cause of injury in each country were found to be floods, extreme temperatures, and epidemics, respectively. While there was no significant difference between the social indicators analyzed and the total number of deaths, there was a negative correlation between the number of injuries and the HDI, CPI, GHE/GDP values of the countries, and a positive correlation between the GC and GII values (for all tests, Spearman correlation test, p < 0.001). The correlation coefficient was interpreted as ‘weak’ in all other pairwise analyses except for the GHE/GDP value (moderate). Countries with social indicators closer to the positive threshold have been found to have less injuries in disasters. The possible reason for the insignificant correlation with the mortality is thought to be the difficulties in detecting mortality, especially in ‘extreme temperatures’, and the fact that it is mostly recorded in countries where social indicators are relatively more advanced. More research is needed to investigate the relationality between social indicators and disaster harms. Key messages • Disasters are critical mediators between social determinants and health. Addressing and reducing inequalities should remain on the public health agenda to prevent disasters and protect health. • Analysis of disasters shows that ‘extreme temperatures’, which cause the most deaths in some countries, are barely detected in developing countries. Disaster recording systems need to be strengthened.

Record linkage as a vital key player for the COVID-19 syndemic

Abstract Chronicity, comorbidities, and social context influence COVID-19 risk and prognosis, drawing attention to a syndemic dimension. We discuss how linking routinely collected data and data collected through observational population-based cohorts can contribute to advance knowledge on the association between COVID-19 and chronic diseases and social indicators. Record linkage as a multidimensional tool may ultimately enable defining and optimizing of integrated strategies, which may create multilevel public health measures to foster solidarity on health in all policies when ethical and legal barriers under prerequisite data protection and privacy can be overcome. Legal discrepancies have been proving detrimental to research in member states, including those which already had established a margin for research for the common good without explicit consent. We hence call for further harmonization of data protection requirements for scientific research activities in the EU/EEA, focusing in particular on health-related research. A proposed framework demonstrates the role of record linkage as a trailblazing key player in research optimization due to its multidimensional possibilities calling for harmonization. Key messages • Further harmonization of data protection requirements for scientific research may create multilevel public health measures. • As a multidimensional tool, it optimizes integrated strategies and fosters solidarity on Health in All Policies (HiAP).

The status of reproductive Health Indicators in Iran, Compared to the Sustainable Development Goals of the World Health Organization

Background and Objectives: Health indicators such maternal and child mortality rates are social indicators that are used to measure the development of each country. This study aims to investigate the status of maternal and child health indicators and total fertility rate in the last 10 years in Iran compared to the sustainable development goals (SDG) of the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods: This is a systematic review study. A search was first conducted to find studies related to the study objectives in Iran from 2012 to 2022 in online databases of SID, IranDoc, Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, using the keywords: Health, fertility, mothers, children. The results of the studies were compared with the SDG indicators of the WHO. Results: The initial search yielded 162 articles. After removing duplicates and screening the studies based on the inclusion criteria, finally 20 articles were selected for the review. The status of SDG indicators in Iran, except for neonatal mortality rate and low birth weight, was in accordance with the SDGs of the WHO until 2030. Conclusion: In the last ten years, the status of most SDG indicators in Iran has been favorable. However, the attention should be paid to the factors affecting neonatal mortality rate and low birth weight to reduce their rates and improve the country’s health status.

A comprehensive Beyond-GDP database to accelerate wellbeing, inclusion, and sustainability research

“Beyond-GDP” metrics are essential for understanding societal progress. Yet despite their importance, these metrics are scattered across various databases, hindering accessibility and interdisciplinary analysis. Addressing this gap, we present the ‘WISE database’ – the first extensive collection of important Beyond-GDP metrics organized by Wellbeing, Inclusion, and Sustainability (WISE) dimensions. The WISE database consolidates data from a variety of sources, including international institutions and academic publications. It encompasses over one million data points across 244 metrics, covering 218 countries and 61 country groupings, from specific social and environmental indicators to the main Beyond-GDP indexes, and is augmented by essential metadata. The data primarily spans from 1995 to 2015, with some metrics extending back to the 19th century. To improve accessibility and data interpretation, a user-friendly online visualization tool has been developed. The WISE database aims to foster a broader view of societal progress, facilitate research on synergies and trade-offs of wellbeing, inclusion, and sustainability, and provide a foundation for interdisciplinary research.

SDGs-centric approach to strategic planning of community development

The research of the community growth and the formation of strategies for their development in the context of an approach focused on achieving sus­tainable development goals have been conduc­ted. The problems of the sustainable community deve­lopment and their crucial understanding of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at all levels of management have been considered. The research is based on the hypothesis that taking into account the features of the Central Development Center approach to the strategic planning of the community development in Ukraine will lead to the improvement of sustainable development indicators at the current stage of the community growth and the sustainable development of Ukraine. Such research methods were used, as: assessment of qualitative, quantitative and social indicators, as well as methods of positional analysis, focus groups, diagnostic interviews, ex­pert assessments, measurement and comparison, system analysis and modeling. The basic concepts and components of sustainable development were analyzed. It has been proposed to define the features of the Central Development Center-cen­tered approach to the strategic planning of com­munity development. The role of intersectoral cooperation between local authorities, business and civil society in the context of achieving the SDGs was considered in detail. The article focuses on the integration of environmental, social and economic aspects into strategic planning, and ex­plores the problems and challenges faced by communities in implementing these approaches. The importance of building the institutional capa­city of communities for the effective imple­men­tation of the SDGs and their adaptation to the changing conditions of the post-war period was sepa­rately emphasized. Recommendations were given for improving the methods of monitoring and evaluating the SDGs achievement at the local level. It is substantiated that only in the presence of a high-quality strategy, joint efforts and mutual understanding of all stakeholders it is possible to achieve the goal of "rebuilding better than it was". It was emphasized that the reconstruction of the country should be carried out by joint efforts, on the basis of transparency, innovation and strategic vision. The leadership role of communities in the Ukrainian post-war reconstruction was defined, the significance of state regional policy and the Road Map adoption of decentralization, as well as the consideration of the need to achieve the sustainable development goals in communities, were revealed. The ranking of the sustainable deve­lop­ment goals for the communities of Vinnytsia was carried out

Factors Affecting the Sustainability of Corporates in Polluting Sectors

Corporate sustainability performance is gaining ever greater importance. The negative impact of climate change is manifested through heavy air, water and soil pollution. Polluting sectors, as the major players, are characterized by large amounts of emissions, waste and consumption of resources, and therefore have a larger negative impact on the environment. Companies operating in polluting sectors are recognized globally as the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions; thus, their performance is widely debated. Despite their character, such companies strive for higher profitability, better financial performance and operational efficiency. However, higher financial resources create the potential for innovation investments in companies. It is widely accepted that research and experimental development (R&D) expenditures enable new business ideas, models, products, services, and processes. However, while pursuing sustainability targets, financial results could be directed towards sustainability performance. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the financial and innovation results of companies in polluting sectors interact with sustainability performance scores. For it, we have identified three essential pillars of sustainability: environmental, governance, and social. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions, models were developed for each pillar of sustainability, including corporate financial performance indicators and R&D expenditures. The obtained results provide the insights that a company operating in polluting sector size and turnover significantly interacts with all pillars of sustainability. However, we also found that the corporate debt ratio, earnings ratio, and current liquidity have a significant relation only with environmental and social sustainability indicators.

Социально-этический маркетинг как инструмент реализации концепции устойчивого развития социально ответственной организации

The issues of using the concept of sustainable development in the management practice of modern enterprises and organizations focused on development and permanent strategic growth are updated. The indicators of sustainable development of an economic entity in the trinity of economic, social and environmental indicators are presented. It is determined that the concept of socio-ethical marketing implemented by the organization as a tool of a socially responsible organization maximally contributes to achieving the goals of a progressive modern concept. The analysis of the tools of social and ethical marketing of the EFKO Group of Companies (EFKO Group) of the Belgorod region, one of the largest food companies in the Russian Federation, a leader in the fat and oil industry market, guided in its activities by the principles inherent in the concept of sustainable development. The dynamics of the main indicators of the Group's economic activity against the background of permanent investments in the implementation of social and ethical activities is presented. The correlation of the value of social investments (expenses for social and ethical marketing) and the value of sales (revenue) of EFKO Group indicates a close relationship between the analyzed indicators. The profit forecast using the exponential smoothing method against the background of growing social investments and social and ethical activity of EFKO Group proves the expediency (including economic) of implementing social and ethical marketing and defines this toolkit as contributing to the growth of the organization's competitiveness not only through active marketing activities, but also through the formation and maintaining a positive image and business reputation of the company; strengthening the image of a socially oriented employer, which is confirmed by the results of independent comparative studies and assessment of the investment and credit attractiveness of companies in the market.

Going circular with what we wear and how we build: parallelisms between the Dutch and French catwalks of fashion and construction

Responding to the call for circular transition, the Dutch and French governments aspire to achieve a fully circular economy by developing a transitional agenda in various sectors, including fashion and construction. The two countries are among the top 10 waste generators in the European Union (EU), while the two sectors—fashion and construction—are the largest polluters in the EU. The aim of this study, and its main contribution, is to harmonize circular design principles, which vary by sector into common types, and identify the circular design principle that balances the sustainability dimensions the most. This responds to research gaps that merely describe these design principles applicable to different sectors but which are also silent on which achieves sustainability balance. Using multicriteria decision analysis, selected case studies of companies in the two sectors and countries were scored and ranked according to environmental, economic, and social sustainability indicators. The case projects were selected based on the circular design principle that the enterprises were applying. These principles were standardized for the two sectors to come up with five distinct types, namely, design for (i) biobased materials, (ii) service/adaptability, (iii) disassembly, (iv) waste and material recovery, and (v) longevity. Three forms of triangulation were used to achieve reliability, validity, and equivalence of the findings: (i) data—by doubling the size of the sample cases to 40 establishments from 20, (ii) investigator—by having the authors score the projects separately, and (iii) method—by using two objective weighting methods in scoring the criteria. These techniques resulted in similar rankings of the cases in terms of triple bottom-line scores per design principle. Designing for biobased materials turned out to achieve the most balance. The case projects were also compared regarding performance in achieving the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), which companies use to integrate sustainability with business. Circularity in fashion and construction primarily targets responsible consumption, production, and climate action. A tertiary SDG was life on water and access to clean water for fashion and life on land and sustainable cities for construction.

The informational relevance of social accounting for the management of financial institutions. A case study: Banca Transilvania Financial Group

This paper analyzes the relevance of social accounting information for managing financial institutions, using Banca Transilvania Financial Group (BTFG) as a case study. It explores how social accounting data can enhance decision-making processes within these institutions. Social information from BTFG’s annual integrated reports was used to construct a social balance sheet, and financial data was collected to calculate economic value added (EVA) and social value added (SVA). Research question include: Does social accounting represent a lever for substantiating the managerial decision in financial institutions? Results show that SVA is a valuable indicator for financial institution managers, reflecting the institution’s contributions to social well-being, environmental impact, and community support. Policy implications suggest regulatory bodies should mandate the inclusion of social accounting metrics in financial reporting standards to encourage socially responsible practices, enhance transparency, and incentivize institutions achieving high SVA. This paper contributes to the literature by demonstrating the practical application of social accounting in financial institutions and highlighting the importance of SVA as a managerial tool. It aligns with existing research on integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) metrics into financial decision-making, enhancing the understanding of combining social and economic indicators for comprehensive performance assessment The abstract covers motivation, methodology, results, policy implications, and contributions to the literature.

Integrating Humanising Aspects into Urban Design: A Comprehensive Framework for Enhancing Quality of Life in Jeddah City

“Humanising cities” is a significant topic in recent urban discussions, driven by diverse applications among urban managers and decision-makers. The Saudi Arabia initiative, through a quality-of-life programme, exemplifies efforts to integrate humanising aspects into urban projects. This study develops a structured multidimensional framework linking humanising aspects with quality-of-life indicators. Its significance is verified through the literature and a descriptive survey method in Jeddah’s neighbourhoods, considering residents’ preferences. This framework incorporates physical, social, environmental, and mobility indicators in the design of open spaces, prioritised based on user preferences. The framework offers significant potential to revitalise vacant neighbourhoods resulting from recent demolitions in Jeddah, restore the humanising aspects, improve the quality of life, and mitigate traffic congestion in northern areas through the “environmental” and “physical” indicators that share the highest priority based on the core findings of this research. Moreover, demographic factors, particularly age and education, significantly influence users’ preferences in humanising urban spaces.

Embracing market dynamics in the post-COVID era: A data-driven analysis of investor sentiment and behavioral characteristics in stock index futures returns

This paper aims to enhance the understanding and prediction of stock market behavior during unexpected events like the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on the role of market attention, social media sentiment indicators, and the development and evolution of unexpected events. We highlight that the common trading and technical indicators used in forecasting the stock index futures prices often overlook investor sentiment and pandemic-related data, which can be instrumental in predicting stock market behavior during significant emergencies. In response, we propose a multi-faceted approach that incorporates these overlooked factors. First, we enhance the predictive index system by integrating investor sentiment, derived from stock message board commentary, and investor behavior influenced by the development and evolution of the pandemic. This innovative approach refines our model's predictive capabilities and is validated through comparative analysis. Second, we introduce a hybrid framework for predicting stock index futures closing prices. By decomposing the closing price series into long-term trends, cyclical variations, and random fluctuations, we create a more nuanced forecast. Each component is predicted separately using appropriate time-series algorithms, improving the overall predictive accuracy and offering generalizability and scalability. Third, we devise a dynamic trading strategy that recognizes pandemic-related data, evolving over time, as a pivotal factor. This strategy is adaptable to evolving market conditions, and our experimental evidence demonstrates its effectiveness in yielding higher returns and reducing associated risks. Our findings underline the importance of incorporating investor sentiment and pandemic-related data into stock market predictions, thus offering a more comprehensive and accurate approach to market forecasting and risk management.

Does Digitization Affect Social and Financial Performance in Microfinance Institutions?

This research aims to explore the effects of the digitization of microfinance institutions (MFIs) on their social and financial performances, and on the trade-off between them given the double mission pursued by these institutions. To reach this objective, we performed ordinary least squares (OLS), logit, and two-stage least squares (2SLS) regressions on a sample of 331 microfinance institutions from the ATLAS database. Findings reveal evidence of significant mixed effects of digitization on social and financial performance indicators. They also show that there is no significant effect of digitization on trade-offs. The novel aspect of this research lies in the approach used to measure social performance which is proxied by the SPI4 -Social Performance Indicators-developed by Cerise and Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), while previous research on the topic have used social mission outcomes indicators. The SPI4 tool allows financial service providers to evaluate the implementation of Universal Standards for Social Performance Management (USSPM). This study also provides evidence on the effect that digitizing MFIs operations may have on trade-off between their social and financial performances. The findings have significant implications for institutions, especially on the way they can implement and interconnect their digitization process, USSPM and financial strategy. Firstly, the significant effect of digitization on social performance reveals synergies between the adoption and use of digital solutions and the implementation of good practices of SPM. Secondly, the mixed effects of adopting digital solutions on financial performance suggest that while this process appears to drive efficiency within institutions, it does not necessarily improve their profitability, since capital expenditure appears to increase more than profits. Finally, since digitization does not appear conducive to trade-off, MFIs should better align their financial and investment strategy with their social objectives when going digital.

Green spaces and flood vulnerability in urbanising regions: a case study in the Philadelphia metropolitan area

ABSTRACT Flooding continues to be one of the most significant natural hazards, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations in urbanising regions. This study aims to examine the relationship between green space density and flood vulnerability in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area by integrating social and geophysical data. The research focuses on identifying areas where high flood vulnerability coincides with low green space availability, as these are critical regions for targeted intervention. Using social vulnerability indicators such as income, age, and housing characteristics, combined with geophysical factors like soil permeability and drainage density, the study assesses flood vulnerability across census block groups. Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) and discriminant analysis were employed to detect spatial clusters with elevated flood risks and low green space density. Results reveal that these high-risk clusters are concentrated in densely urbanised areas such as Norristown, where lower-income and elderly populations are overrepresented. These findings reinforce broader environmental justice concerns, as socially vulnerable communities face compounded risks from both inadequate flood protection and limited access to green spaces. The study emphasises the need for integrated flood management, combining green infrastructure with structural interventions, to guide urban planners and policymakers in reducing flood risks and promoting environmental equity.