Household Socioeconomic Characteristics Research Articles

Resource endowment and sustainable soil fertility management strategies in maize farming systems in northern Benin

IntroductionManaging soil fertility remains one of the major concerns of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In order to understand the adoption potential of recommended practices to smallholders, this study aimed to characterize the resource availability, allocation and use patterns, and the soil fertility management practices in the maize farming system in northern Benin.MethodsA survey was conducted with 262 households randomly selected across three municipalities from three agro-ecological zones. Focus groups discussions and individual interviews were conducted with the household heads using an interview guide and a structured questionnaire respectively. The main data collected included (a) the socio-economic characteristics of households, (b) the main farm type and their characteristics and (c) the current soil fertility management strategies and the rationale behind.Results and discussionThe main soil fertility practices included the use of mineral fertilizer, manure, and crop residues application to plots. As a general trend, the rates of fertilizers applied by farmers [on average 132 ± 8.5 and 59 ± 5.8 kg ha−1 of Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (NPK) and urea] were below those recommended or required to ensure optimal maize yields. Five farm types corresponding to different resource endowments or wealth classes were identified. The scarce resource farms owned by the majority of poorer farmers use only small amounts of manure and fertilizer in their fields. Qualitative analysis indicated that farms have different constraints and opportunities to adopt newly proposed soil fertility management recommendations.ConclusionExtension services and decision makers must target specific interventions for appropriation and sustainability of technologies to resource mostly the smallholder farmers.

Addressing Barriers to Timely Orthopaedic Follow-up for Foot and Ankle Fractures After Emergency Department Visits.

Foot and ankle fractures present common challenges in emergency departments, warranting careful follow-up protocols for optimal patient outcomes. This study investigates the predictors of orthopaedic follow-up for these injuries after an emergency department (ED) visit. A retrospective observational study of 1450 patients seen in the ED with foot or ankle fractures from July 2015 to February 2023 was conducted. All included patients were discharged with instructions to follow-up with an orthopaedic provider. Demographic data, fracture details, and follow-up patterns were extracted from medical records. Social vulnerability was assessed using the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Social Vulnerability Index. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of follow-up. A subgroup analysis comparing patients who followed up >7 days from ED presentation (ie, delayed follow-up) to those who followed up within 7 days of presentation was then performed. Statistical significance was assessed at P < .05. Overall, 974/1450 (67.2%) patients followed up with orthopaedics at an average time of 4.16 days. After risk adjustment, Medicaid coverage (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56, P = .018), increased overall social vulnerability (OR = 0.83, P = .032), and increased vulnerability across the dimensions of socioeconomic status (P = .002), household characteristics (P = .034), racial and ethnic minority status (P = .007), and household type and transportation (P = .032) were all associated with lower odds of follow-up. Phalangeal fractures were also associated with decreased odds of follow-up (OR = 0.039, P < .001), whereas ankle fractures were more likely to follow-up (OR = 1.52, P = .002). In the subgroup analysis, patients of older age (P = .008), non-white race (P = .024), motor vehicle accident (MVA) (P = .027) or non-private insurance (P = .027), those experiencing phalangeal fractures (P = .015), and those seen by an orthopaedic provider in the ED (P = .006) were more likely to present with delayed follow-up. Patients with increased social vulnerability and Medicaid insurance are less likely to seek follow-up care after presentation to the ED with foot and ankle fractures.

Nutrition profiles of farm households across different farming systems in Ethiopia: Unpacking the determinants and implications for nutrition‐sensitive interventions

AbstractTackling nutrition insecurity remains a critical challenge in developing countries. In the predominantly rain‐fed and smallholder‐based farming systems of Ethiopia, production diversity and livelihood strategies of the farm households vary across geographic areas. However, the effects of household socioeconomic characteristics, production diversity, and household incomes on nutrition profiles in distinct settings have been inadequately understood. Therefore, this study was undertaken to examine the association of farming system type, sources of income, and household wealth status with household nutrition profiles in three remote locations such as Mennisa, Welmel Tiqa, and Agam Wuha that represent root crops‐based farming, maize‐based semi‐pastoral farming, and teff‐based cereal farming systems, respectively. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques was employed. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select a total of 265 smallholder households for the structured survey interviews. Standard statistical tests and Tobit regression analyses were performed after determining the wealth category of each household. Results revealed a diversity of income sources used by each of the farm households with average values of 9 in Mennisa, 10 in Agam Wuha, and 11 in Welmel Tiqa, with the contributions of each income source varying by household wealth category and location. As expected, expenditures on food significantly exceeded those on non‐food categories for poor households and vice versa for rich wealth households. The average total food variety score (FVS) for Welmel Tiqa was twice that for Agam Wuha, confirming the need for site‐specific nutrition profile assessments. Despite the observed differences in household nutrition profiles among wealth categories and locations, the apparent intakes of vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and calcium were consistently below the population‐level estimated average requirements across all locations. The number of adequately consumed nutrients by farm households was negatively associated with family size, age of household heads, livestock holdings, wealth categories, and irrigation use, and positively associated with crop production diversity, income diversity, and FVS. The negative association between irrigation use and nutrition security was likely due to the focus on producing crops with a high market value on land under irrigation, coupled with ineffective allocation of generated income for enhancing household nutritional outcomes. Therefore, programs that include irrigated agriculture investments should consider adopting a more integrated nutrition‐sensitive interventions, including consideration of locally adapted nutritious crops, such as orange‐flesh sweet potato, to address critical deficiency of Vitamin A, nutrition training coupled with development of recipes and cooking demonstrations, and marketing and promotion for nutritious crops.

Land as a binding constraint to cluster-based development in Ethiopia: To cluster or not to cluster?

As one of the agglomeration models targeting cluster-based rural development, cluster farming has been promoted in Ethiopia and it is already reported to have significant welfare implications, but participation rates are not as high as expected. This study examines the role of land as a constraint to the development of cluster-based development in Ethiopia both using extensive and intensive measures of cluster farming. The study further disaggregates farm households based on their farm size to better understand potential heterogeneities in the relationship between farm size and cluster farming. The paper also documents other household socio-economic and network characteristics that may matter in cluster farming. We use a large-scale farm household data from 3,969 households coupled with some expert insights on cluster farming in Ethiopia. Households in the study areas grow major staples such as maize, wheat, teff, malt barley, and sesame in four main regions of Ethiopia. We employ a double hurdle model to examine both the decision to participate and the extent to which households participate in cluster farming. By extent of participation, we refer to the amount of land and share of land farm households contribute to cluster farming. For robustness purposes, we also estimate the Tobit and Linear Probability Models. We show a positive association between farm size and cluster farming both at the extensive and intensive margins. This relationship turns negative for large amounts of land. This shows that cluster farming increases with farm size up to a threshold beyond which it declines. We also find suggestive evidence that participation rates are lower for small-scale farms, but also declines for large-scale farms. In addition, we show that access to information and network characteristics also matter in enabling cluster farming. The findings of this study are relevant in the framework of plans to upscale the cluster-based development initiative in Ethiopia. Attention to landholding issues is key and may be an important area where policy action can be geared to boost cluster farming. Moreover, our results inform potential targeting plans that aim to increase the participation of small-scale farmers who are usually the intended targets of such programs.

Household energy behaviour in the times of crisis: Lessons for policy initiatives from peripheral, fossil-dependent regions of the European Union

Drawing on the survey research conducted on a representative sample of 1200 Polish households living in peripheral, fossil-dependent regions, this paper explores the hitherto unrecognised changes in energy behaviour in the residential sector, which resulted from the increase in energy prices that initiated in 2022 after the Russia's invasion on Ukraine. We consider only no-tech and low-tech sustainable energy practices that meet the needs of households and deliver lasting reductions in domestic energy use and the increase of their energy efficiency. We concentrate on final energy consumption, i.e. energy behaviour related to heating houses, washing oneself and washing dishes, washing and drying clothes, as well as using TV, computers, household appliances and home lighting. We analyse the frequency of use of low-tech and no-tech practices and indicate the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of households and home features that differentiate them. In addition, applying the method of association rules, we outline key traits of household exhibiting different types of energy behaviour, namely ‘avoid’, ‘shift’ and ‘improve’. We use this knowledge to formulate implications for policy initiatives at European, national and local levels aiming at increasing the inclusiveness of the energy transition process.

Factors Explaining Catastrophic Health Expenditure and HouseholdImpoverishment in Cameroon

The objective of this article is to study the exposure of Cameroonian households to the financial risk linked to catastrophic health expenditure. The study population is made up of households and the data used come from the fourth Cameroon Household Survey conducted in 2014. The statistical and econometric methods deployed are essentially descriptive statistics, hypothesis tests and logistic regression. Analyzes show that Cameroonian households spend an average of 5% of their total expenditure on health. Medication, used primarily by poor households, represents the first health service, followed by consultation and hospitalization, much more used by rich households. A significant proportion of Cameroonian households (10.33%) devote at least 10% of their income to direct payment for health care and services. The incidence of impoverishment due to these direct payments is 1.29%. The socioeconomic characteristics of Cameroonian households are the main determinants of their catastrophic health expenditures and their impoverishment due to direct payments for health care and services.

Socially vulnerable patients are more likely to fail outpatient management of symptomatic cholelithiasis

BackgroundSymptomatic cholelithiasis is a common surgical problem, with many patients requiring multiple gallstone-related emergency department (ED) visits before cholecystectomy. The Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) identifies vulnerable patient populations. This study aimed to assess the association between social vulnerability and outpatient management of symptomatic cholelithiasis. MethodsPatients with symptomatic cholelithiasis–related ED visits were identified within our health system from 2016 to 2022. Clinical outcomes data were merged with SVI census track data, which consist of 4 SVI subthemes (socioeconomic status, household characteristics, racial and ethnic minority status, and housing type and transportation). Multivariate analysis was used for statistical analysis. ResultsA total of 47,292 patients presented to the ED with symptomatic cholelithiasis, of which 6103 patients (13.3 %) resided in vulnerable census tract regions. Of these patients, 13,795 (29.2 %) underwent immediate cholecystectomy with a mean time to surgery of 35.1 h, 8250 (17.4 %) underwent elective cholecystectomy at a mean of 40.6 days from the initial ED visit, and 2924 (6.2 %) failed outpatient management and returned 1.26 times (range, 1–11) to the ED with recurrent biliary–related pain. Multivariate analysis found social vulnerability subthemes of socioeconomic status (odds ratio [OR], 1.29; 95 % CI, 1.09–1.52) and racial and ethnic minority status (OR, 2.41; 95 % CI, 2.05–2.83) to be associated with failure of outpatient management of symptomatic cholelithiasis. ConclusionSocially vulnerable patients are more likely to return to the ED with symptomatic cholelithiasis. Policies to support this vulnerable population in the outpatient setting with timely follow-up and elective cholecystectomy can help reduce delays in care and overutilization of ED resources.

Impacts of active mobility on individual health mediated by physical activities

Active mobility, encompassing walking and cycling for transportation, is a potential solution to health issues arising from inadequate physical activity in modern society. However, the extent of active mobility's impact on individual physical activity levels, and its association with health as mediated by physical activities, is not fully quantified. This study aims to clarify the direct relationship between active mobility usage and individual health, as well as the indirect relationship mediated by physical activity, with a focus on varying levels of physical activity intensity. Utilizing data from the 2017 U.S. National Household Travel Survey (NHTS), we employed Poisson regression to predict active mobility usage based on socio-demographic and household socio-economic characteristics. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was then used to investigate the direct and indirect effects of active mobility on individual health, mediated by physical activity. We further segmented individuals according to their intensity of physical activity to examine how such effect differs between different levels of physical activity. The study demonstrates that active mobility usage positively correlates with both the amount and intensity of physical activity. The effect of active mobility on individual health includes a direct positive effect (29% for intensity, 67.7% for amount) and an indirect effect mediated by physical activity (71% for intensity, 32.3% for amount). Notably, the mediation effect of active mobility on health is more substantial in the context of vigorous physical activities compared to light or moderate activities. Our findings reveal a significant positive influence of active mobility on individual health, encompassing both direct and indirect effects mediated by physical activities. These results quantitatively underscore the health benefits of active mobility and suggest the importance of promoting active mobility as a strategy to improve public health.

Children’s Active Mobility to School: Evidence from Two Andean Cities

Active mobility to school (AMS) has been identified as a pivotal element in promoting health and physical activity during childhood, adolescence, and beyond. However, the importance of AMS is often downplayed or disregarded in urban and transportation planning, especially in Latin American cities. Factors such as cultural and political dynamics, socioeconomic conditions, urban and social environments, household and individual characteristics, and parental perceptions and attitudes collectively shape the mobility behavior of schoolchildren. This research analyzes the outcomes of a study on AMS at public schools in Cuenca and Ibarra (Ecuador), through the lens of the Socio-Ecological Model framework. The findings show that 47% of students from schools in Cuenca and 26% from Ibarra engage in active commuting to school for at least part of their journey. Key factors correlated with AMS include gender (individual dimension), travel duration, household socioeconomic characteristics, and parental attitudes towards active mobility (household dimension), as well as street-level attributes and land use density surrounding schools (urban environment dimension). This study offers three significant contributions: a detailed portrayal of student mobility behavior at six public schools in Cuenca and Ibarra, an exploration of the factors linked with active commuting, and a methodology for estimating land-use parameters.

The role of social learning on consumers’ willingness to engage in demand-side management: An agent-based modelling approach

Achieving a sustainable energy future requires a clean, affordable energy supply and active consumer engagement in the energy market. This study proposes to evaluate and simulate energy consumers' willingness to participate in demand-side management programs using an agent-based modelling approach to address the social learning effect as a key factor influencing energy consumer behaviour. The proposed agent-based model simulates households' electricity consumer interactions examining how the willingness to shift electricity usage is encouraged through the social environment, while accounting for the diversity among consumers. Data from a survey conducted in Portugal, including questions about the influence of recommendations from friends or family members on individuals' willingness to engage in demand response activities, are used to test the proposed simulation. The findings reveal that social learning significantly impacts demand response acceptance, yet the extent of this influence varies depending on the socio-economic characteristics of households’ electricity consumers. The study confirms agent-based model as an effective approach for capturing social dynamics and supporting electricity market decision making, providing valuable insights for devising consumers engagement strategies.

The Impact of Social Vulnerability on Substance Use Detection Practices in Pregnancy.

This study aimed to synthesize current literature regarding the impact of social vulnerability on pregnancy-related substance use detection in the United States and highlight disparities in substance use detection practices. Clinicaltrials.gov, Google Scholar, PubMed (includes MEDLINE), and Cochrane Library databases were searched using the following Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): (["pregnancy" or "prenatal"] AND ["substance use screening" or "urine toxicology testing" or "toxicology testing" or "urine drug screening" or "CRAFFT" or "4P's" or "4P's Plus" or "NIDA Quick Screen" or "DAST-10" or "SURP-P" or "WIDUS"], AND ("bias" or "disparities" or "social vulnerability"]). The search included systematic reviews, prospective and retrospective studies, randomized controlled trials, case studies, and qualitative and quantitative research from January 2014 through November 2023. Selected literature was limited to studies published in English, which included a study population of either pregnant individuals or pregnancy health care providers in the United States, and that were focused on inequities in pregnancy substance use detection. Using Covidence, three authors screened abstracts, and two screened full articles for inclusion. The included studies were evaluated for quality of evidence using the mixed methods appraisal tool. The search yielded 4,188 manuscripts; 37 were eligible for full review. A total of 18 manuscripts were included based on the relevancy of the topic. The most common social vulnerability domain identified was minority status (17/18), followed by socioeconomic status (11/18), household characteristics (8/18), and housing type (1/18). Social vulnerability plays a role in substance use detection among pregnant individuals. Most notably, race and ethnicity, age, and public insurance lead to increased rates of detection, though most individual factors need to be studied in greater depth. This study was registered with PROSPERO (PROSPERO ID CRD42022352598), the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. KEY POINTS: · Socially vulnerable pregnant individuals are more likely to receive substance use screening or urine toxicology testing.. · Race, ethnicity, age, and insurance influence substance use detection disparities.. · More research is needed to understand how other characteristics influence disparities in substance use detection..

한국의 소비불평등 요인분해에 관한 연구

Purpose: This study examines the determinants of household consumption expenditure and quantifies their contribution to within group inequality by gender of household head in South Korea.&#x0D; Research design, data, and methodology: This study first decomposes total inequality into within and between inequality by gender of household head. It also examines the association between a vector of household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and household consumption expenditure in an attempt to identify how much inequality can be attributed to each of explanatory factors. This study empirically draws upon the recent national representative dataset, Survey of Household Finance and Living Conditions (SFLC) 2 021 c ollected b y Korea Statistical Office.&#x0D; Results: According to the present study, inequality in 2021 in South Korea was found to be mainly dominated by inequality within population sub groups. Examining the determinants of household consumption inequality, it shows that factors and their conributions are different between male and female headed households. For instance, whilst the type of job occupation of a head appears to have a large impact on inequality within male headed households, it is found to have marginal contribution compared to within female headed households (25.2% vs. 7.4%). In case of household demography, it is observed as the second largest factor increasing within inequality among female headed households (31.2%) whereas its contribution to inequality within inequality among male group was relatively small (18.6%).&#x0D; Implications: Our study suggests that target specific investigation and deep structural understanding need to be made on the different characteristics of within inequality as reflected by the different role of factors and their contributions. Amongst, the different inequality impact of higher education might reflect that the expansion of higher education had a relatively lower impact on the living stand of female group than that of its counterpart, male group. Finally, the discriminatory barriers (e.g. job occupation) against female may reduce within inequality, it could widen total inequality, worsening distribution between male and female groups.

Abstract TP227: Correlation of Social Vulnerability Index and Stroke Patient Social Needs

Introduction: Social determinants of health (SDOH) have a significant role in stroke patients’ health outcomes. To assess the environments patients are discharged to, the AHA's GWTG tool collects data on ten social needs of hospitalized stroke patients. The CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) evaluates the vulnerability of a community to hazards by considering sixteen components across four themes: Socioeconomic Status, Household Characteristics, Racial and Ethnic Minority Status, and Housing Type/Transportation. This study aims to assess the correlation between the GWTG social needs assessment and the SVI at the census tract level. Methods: Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry (GCASR) data from 2021 was matched with the Georgia Discharge Data System to obtain patients' residence coordinates. The data was then linked with 2020 SVI census tract data. Each SVI component was classified into deciles and assessed for correlation with the proportion of patients with a specific social need using Spearman correlation. Results: Among the 22,930 patients treated at GCASR participating hospitals, 10,019 had social needs data. No major sociodemographic or disease-related differences were noted between patients with and without social need data. 15 SVI components have a statistically significant correlation at the 0.05 alpha level with at least one social need. Correlation strength ranged from mild to strong. Conclusion: Most elements of the SVI at the census tract level are moderately or strongly correlated with one or more social needs, suggesting they may serve as proxy measures. SVI data, regularly updated by the CDC and freely available, could be incorporated into electronic medical records to assist with stroke patients' discharge process and transition of care.

The impact of social vulnerability index on survival following autologous stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the standard of care for eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM) to prolong progression-free survival (PFS). While several factors affect survival following ASCT, the impact of social determinants of health such as the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) is not well documented. This single-center retrospective analysis evaluated the impact of SVI on PFS following ASCT in MM patients. 225 patients with MM who underwent ASCT participated, with 51% transplanted in the last 5 years. At 5 years post-transplant, 55 (50%) achieved PFS and 66 (60%) remained alive. Higher SVI values were significantly associated with lower odds of PFS (OR = 0.521, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.41, 0.66]) and OS (OR = 0.592, p < 0.01, 95% CI [0.46, 0.76]) post-transplant. Greater vulnerability scores in the socioeconomic status (OR = 0.890; 95% CI: [0.82, 0.96]), household characteristics (OR = 0.912; 95% CI: [0.87, 0.95]), and racial and ethnic minority status (OR = 0.854; 95% CI: [0.81, 0.90]) themes significantly worsened the odds of PFS. These results suggest high SVI areas may need more resources to achieve optimal PFS and OS. Future studies will focus on addressing factors within the socioeconomic status, household characteristics, and racial and ethnic minority subthemes, as these have a more pronounced effect on PFS.

The Impact of Rapid Handpump Repairs on Diarrhea Morbidity in Children: Cross-Sectional Study in Kwale County, Kenya.

Handpumps are used by millions of people as their main source of water. Although handpumps represent only a basic form of water provision, there have been continuous efforts to improve the performance of these systems as they are likely to remain in use for many years to come. The introduction of a professional maintenance service in southern Kenya has shown an order of magnitude improvement in operational performance over community-based management, with 90% of handpump faults repaired within 3 days of being reported. One driver behind these efforts is the assumption that a more reliable water supply will lead to a reduction in water-related disease. However, it is not clear if operational improvements lead to health gains. Despite limited empirical evidence, some modeling studies suggest that even short periods of drinking contaminated water can lead to disproportionate negative health impacts. The aim of this study was to assess whether the improvements in operational performance from the rapid professional maintenance of rural handpumps lead to improved household health outcomes. From a sample of households using handpumps as their primary water source in Kwale County, Kenya, we measured the 2-week prevalence of World Health Organization-defined diarrhea in children, reported by the adult respondent for each household. We compared the rates before and after a period during which the households' handpumps were being professionally maintained. We then conducted a cross-sectional analysis, fitting logistic regression models with reported diarrhea as the dependent variable and speed of repair as the independent exposure of interest, adjusting for household socioeconomic characteristics; dwelling construction; and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)-related factors. We fitted an additional model to examine select interactions between covariates. Reported diarrhea in children was lower in households whose pumps had been repaired within 24 hours (adjusted odds ratio 0.35, 95% CI 0.24-0.51). This effect was robust to the inclusion of multiple categories of covariates. No reduction was seen in households whose pump repairs took more than 24 hours. Analysis of interaction terms showed that certain interventions associated with improved WASH outcomes were only associated with reductions in diarrhea in conjunction with socioeconomic improvements. Only pump repairs consistently made within 24 hours of failure led to a reduction in diarrhea in the children of families using handpumps. While the efficacy of reduction in diarrhea is substantial, the operational challenges of guaranteeing same-day repairs limits the effectiveness of even best-in-class pump maintenance. Maintenance regimes that cannot bring handpump downtimes close to zero will struggle to generate health benefits. Other factors that reduce diarrhea prevalence have limited effect in isolation, suggesting that WASH interventions will be more effective when undertaken as part of more holistic poverty-reduction efforts.

Household saving motives and socio-demographic factors

This research was inspired by broad discussions on the motives for saving. We examine the relationship between the motives for saving and the socio-economic characteristics of households in the eurozone, Croatia, Hungary and Poland, such as: the social type of the household, gender of the reference person (RP), their age, level of education, marital status, taking into account the differences in the value of these households’ financial assets. For this purpose, we used data from the Household Finance and Consumption Survey. The logit model was used to analyse with maximum likelihood estimation the different saving motives and country groups. We also used a Poisson model for a count variable. The results demonstrate that the social type of households is crucial in determining their motives for saving, particularly for child education and leaving an inheritance. Additionally, we identify differences in the number and sets of saving motives between households from countries with both high and low levels of financial assets. In countries where households are less well-off, the motive for saving to purchase residential estate is of greater importance. Moreover, households with more financial assets – mainly from the countries of Western Europe – show more concern about saving for old age and investment.

Utjecaj moći odlučivanja žena na status uhranjenosti ruralne djece u državi Ogun u Nigeriji

Women's authority over specific family decisions tends to increase their financial security and power, which has an impact on their children's general health and well-being. A multistage sampling process was employed to choose 120 households. Primary data on the children's nutritional status, the household's socioeconomic characteristics, and women decision making were gathered using a well-structured questionnaire. The children's mean body mass index was 9.62 kg/m2, indicating underweight. It was also demonstrated that women had little influence over the quantity of farm produce consumed or sold, nor the number and spacing of their children. On the other hand, rural women make decisions about the daily diet of the home, the education of the children, the kind of medical assistance the child receives while ill, and the amount of parental guidance the youngster receives. However, the women decision making index (WDMI) which measures the negotiating power of women was 0.537. With the age of the mother, gender of child, women decision making index, farm size, farmers association, and farming experience influencing the children nutritional status. Therefore, as it tends to improve the nutritional outcomes for children, it is advised that women be given more control.

Analysis of practices and factors of solid waste management among urban households of Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia

The management of solid waste is crucial for urban areas to prevent the spread of diseases, reduce pollution, enhance cleanliness, promote resource recovery, and create employment opportunities. This study aims to examine the practices and factors related to the management of solid waste among urban households in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia. A survey was conducted with 200 participants from four districts in two sub-cities. The survey utilized an interview questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the multinomial logit regression model. The results indicate that various factors such as gender, age, education, employment status, income, family size, and attitude significantly influence the selection of solid waste disposal methods by households. Gender significantly influences the preference for nearby containers over open spaces when it comes to waste disposal. Females are 7.55 times more inclined than males to choose nearby containers instead of open spaces. Age also plays a substantial role, with respondents aged 46-64 being 604 times more likely to utilize nearby containers. Respondents aged 65 and above are 69 times more likely, while respondents aged 31-45 are three times more likely to use nearby containers. Education level is also a significant factor, as individuals holding college diploma or higher degree are more likely to opt for nearby containers and door-to-door pickers rather than open spaces. Retired individuals are less likely to utilize door-to-door pickers compared to government employees. The decision between nearby containers and open spaces for waste disposal is influenced also by family size. The likelihood of choosing nearby containers decreases by 45% with each unit increase in family size. Attitude also plays a role in the preference for door-to-door pickers over open spaces. The likelihood of using door-to-door pickers increases by 64% for each unit increase in attitude. Individuals with higher incomes are unexpectedly inclined towards using open spaces as a method of waste disposal, possibly due to their increased consumption levels, resulting in higher generation of solid waste in their households. To promote a clean, healthy, and sustainable urban environment, the government needs to formulate and implement solid waste management strategies that effectively consider the specific demographic and socio-economic characteristics of households.

Over- and underconsumption of residential heating: Analyzing occupant impacts on performance gaps between calculated and actual heating demand

Previous research estimates that building physics and occupant practices equally contribute to the explanation of variations in residential heating consumption. However, the so-called performance gap, where calculated heating demand diverge from actual heating consumption, indicates that the relation between occupant practices and building physics vary across energy efficiency of the building. In this paper, using data from 2019 to 2021, we investigate such interactions 1) by comparing the calculated heating demand with actual energy consumption for residential space heating and domestic hot water (DHW) across energy performance certificates (A to G), and 2) by investigating variations in over- and underconsumption (deviance from calculated to actual) across socio-economic characteristics of households. In line with previous studies, we find that households living in energy inefficient houses tend to have lower heating demand than expected. Moreover, we find that lower-income households and households living in rural area has less overconsumption, indicating that they have more frugal heating practices.

The influence of household disadvantage on educational achievement inequality in Pakistan: Evidence from Annual Status of Education Report data

Inequity in education is a worldwide concern and there is a growing need to investigate educational achievement inequality in a nuanced and contextual manner. This study aims to elucidate the growing educational achievement inequality within Pakistan by addressing two key questions: What can be revealed about the influence of family socioeconomic condition and household characteristics on children’s disparate educational achievement in Pakistan? And what role do private schools and paid tuition play in exacerbating disparity in learning outcomes? In this study, we applied the concept of Equity in Education, particularly the impartiality approach, to consider disadvantaged conditions among children. We have analyzed the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) Pakistan household-based survey data ( N = 247,978) conducted in 2021. Our analysis involved both descriptive and logistic regression techniques. Students’ achievement in the local language, arithmetic, and English language served as a dependent variable, while household factors remained a predictable variable. The results revealed that family socioeconomic factors including parents’ education and income, household facilities, and school types have a significant influence on children’s learning achievement and contribute to educational inequality. This study provides further insights for researchers and policymakers to better understand and address educational inequality in its specific context.