Sociocultural Disparities Research Articles

Factors Influencing ESL Teaching: Perspectives from Secondary Educators in Hyderabad, Pakistan

This research is based upon a qualitative research approach in teaching English as a second language (ESL) in secondary schools in Hyderabad city of Pakistan. This paper discusses the obstacles that the 15 ESL teachers face as revealed in the semi-structured interview about outdated curricula, lack of available resources, ungeared teacher training, the lack of support from the school administrators, socio-cultural disparities, motivation levels of the students and the constant challenges involved in keeping the non -native speaking ESL teachers afloat. The results are generally in line with previous work and a clear indication of the need for broad-based change to enhance the quality of ESL education. Accordingly, recommendations were made for evolving curricular developments, enriching resources, ongoing teacher professional development, and institutional support to mitigate these challenges and shore up ESL teachers

The Role of Social Support in the Development of the Sports Industry: A Comparative Study Between China and the United States

The evolution of the sports industry is intrinsically intertwined with the societal fabric it operates within. To foster and sustain vigorous growth in the sports industry, a comprehensive understanding of the current societal context and the derivation of insights from successful case studies are imperative. This paper embarks on a comparative analysis of the sociocultural disparities between China and the United States, recognizing the intricate interplay of political systems and public perspectives. Importantly, it highlights the pitfalls of adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, stressing the need for tailored strategies aligned with the unique dynamics of each country. The study scrutinizes several pivotal facets, including the place of sports in the collective consciousness, the population's consumer capacity for sports-related content and experiences, the degree of sports commercialization, and the methodologies employed in nurturing sports talent, contrasting the two nations. Drawing from the divergence in cultural philosophies, the paper endeavors to formulate a more nuanced and context-specific framework for the advancement of the sports industry in China. It underscores that the trajectory of future sports development in China hinges significantly on improvements in societal support, positing that without such enhancements, progress in the sector may remain sluggish. This comparative analysis seeks to provide valuable insights for policymakers, sports management professionals, and industry stakeholders in both China and the United States, offering a foundation for crafting strategies that are not only culturally relevant but also congruent with the prevailing societal ethos.

Context matters: Sociocultural considerations in the design and implementation of community-based positive psychology interventions in sub-Saharan Africa

Scholars conducting cross-cultural research in mental health often import intervention programs found to be efficacious in one social context (e.g., Western) and directly implement them in other contexts (e.g., African and Asian) without recourse to the sociocultural disparities between the target populations and the theoretical foundations of the constructs and principles underpinning the intervention programs. Such efforts mistakenly assume that positive psychology interventions (PPIs), most of which were developed from Western perspectives and assumed individualistic cultural orientation and value systems, operate equally across all contexts. Drawing on the extant literature and on insights from designing, implementing, and evaluating group-based (mental) health behavior change intervention programs across several communities in Ghana, we discuss some sociocultural, theoretical, and methodological issues that can significantly constrain the design, uptake, and effectiveness of PPIs in the rural, low literate, socioeconomically disadvantaged, highly collectivistic context of Ghana, and sub-Saharan Africa more generally. In all illustrations, we offer suggestions to guide the design and implementation processes to ensure culturally appropriate, highly acceptable, and potentially effective intervention programs. We argue that PPIs can be potentially fructuous in the sub-region when adapted to, or embedded in, the cultural values of the target population and tailored to the needs, capacities, and circumstances of participants.

Prejudice and Religious Conflict : Dispositive Analysis of Film “Nama Saya Ahmad”

So far, studies on the sources of conflict are more dominantly viewed from a macro-social perspective without considering a micro-social perspective. Socio-cultural disparities, political dominance, inequality in economic distribution, and differences in religious or ethnic identity are more dominantly understood as causes of conflict. Whereas the potential for animal power that is inherent in humans is also a factor in the occurrence of conflict. Applying the method of dispositive analysis modeled by S. Jager and F. Maier, this text-based article aims to complete the lack of interpretation of the source of the conflict and analyze how the text of the film “Nama Saya Ahmad” represents the correlation of prejudice and religious conflict. This article shows that the film “Nama Saya Ahmad” depicts religious conflicts starting from prejudice between religious believers. In order for prejudice to be parsed, it is important to expand the dialogue space. Apart from breaking down prejudices, dialogue can also strengthen the social integration of the community.

Analyzing Barriers in Expanding Multilingual Indian Science Communication

English’s status as the “lingua franca” of science has allowed for the expansion of science communication around the world. However, the remnants of the English educational system from British colonization have also furthered sociocultural disparities on the ground level in countries such as India, which is home to over a dozen national languages that are lost in the process of translating scientific concepts. Analyzing barriers in translating English-based science communication methods into vernacular Indian languages includes assessing linguistic feasibility, breaking down stigma apprehension surrounding topics such as HIV transmission and mental health, combatting the lack of institutional support, balancing time constraints, and understanding cultural context. In doing so, science professionals can embrace linguistic diversity while empowering the general public and promoting wider science accessibility during crucial times such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Multilingual science approaches will not only be able to strengthen Indian citizens’ connection with science but also set the tone for broader global science communication efforts.

Navigating sociocultural disparities in relation to infection and antibiotic resistance-the need for an intersectional approach.

One of the key drivers of antibiotic resistance (ABR) and drug-resistant bacterial infections is the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in human populations. Infection management and antibiotic decision-making are multifactorial, complex processes influenced by context and involving many actors. Social constructs including race, ethnicity, gender identity and cultural and religious practices as well as migration status and geography influence health. Infection and ABR are also affected by these external drivers in individuals and populations leading to stratified health outcomes. These drivers compromise the capacity and resources of healthcare services already over-burdened with drug-resistant infections. In this review we consider the current evidence and call for a need to broaden the study of culture and power dynamics in healthcare through investigation of relative power, hierarchies and sociocultural constructs including structures, race, caste, social class and gender identity as predictors of health-providing and health-seeking behaviours. This approach will facilitate a more sustainable means of addressing the threat of ABR and identify vulnerable groups ensuring greater inclusivity in decision-making. At an individual level, investigating how social constructs and gender hierarchies impact clinical team interactions, communication and decision-making in infection management and the role of the patient and carers will support better engagement to optimize behaviours. How people of different race, class and gender identity seek, experience and provide healthcare for bacterial infections and use antibiotics needs to be better understood in order to facilitate inclusivity of marginalized groups in decision-making and policy.

What\u2019s in a face? The role of facial features in ratings of dominance, threat, and stereotypicality

Faces judged as stereotypically Black are perceived negatively relative to less stereotypical faces. In this experiment, artificial faces were constructed to examine the effects of nose width, lip fullness, and skin reflectance, as well as to study the relations among perceived dominance, threat, and Black stereotypicality. Using a multilevel structural equation model to isolate contributions of the facial features and the participant demographics, results showed that stereotypicality was related to wide nose, darker reflectance, and to a lesser extent full lips; threat was associated with wide nose, thin lips, and low reflectance; dominance was mainly related to nose width. Facial features explained variance among faces, suggesting that face-type bias in this sample was related to specific face features rather than particular characteristics of the participant. People’s perceptions of relations across these traits may underpin some of the sociocultural disparities in treatment of certain individuals by the legal system.

Local tech mediators - a human access point to global crowdfunding platforms

ABSTRACT Despite much criticism, global digital platforms hold some promise for small-scale entrepreneurs (SSEs) in the global south. However, they are often excluded from direct participation in global initiatives, such as crowdfunding. Besides socio-cultural disparities, accessibility and adoption issues, technology usage and integration present a major challenge. To bridge those gaps we propose a workable model consisting of a local tech mediator operating on a digital platform connecting local SSE to global digital services. We have engaged a group of informal settlement SSE in Windhoek, Namibia to jointly conceptualise the roles, tasks and responsibilities of a local tech mediator, concurrently with technical skills training as well as the development of an international crowdfunding campaign. We assert that the jointly developed concepts of a local instantiation of the model as well as the co-design process have enabled us to create model, which would allow the utilisation of global digital platforms for SSEs in the global south.

Reproductive Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Adolescent Girls in Urban and Rural Areas of Bangladesh

This study aims at assessing the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning reproductive health (RH) among adolescent college-going girls in the urban and rural areas of Chittagong District, Bangladesh. A college-based cross-sectional study was conducted among college-going girls (N = 792) of four colleges attending Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) classes (eleven/twelve classes) in Chittagong District. Data were collected using a structured and self-administered questionnaire. Chi-square (χ2) and independent-samples t-test were conducted to make the comparison between urban and rural participants. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 24.0. The authors’ interpretation of the findings was also informed by anthropological as well as qualitative considerations. Mothers were reported to be the key informants of reproductive health for the adolescent girls of both urban and rural areas. Besides, urban respondents were more likely than rural respondents (p < .001) to feel comfortable during the discussion on RH with mother/sister/relative; to communicate frequently with their mothers; to discuss RH issues regularly; to have prior knowledge on menstruation. Moreover, this study also found significant differences (p < .05) regarding most of the items addressing RH knowledge, attitude, and practice between adolescent girls in urban and rural areas of Bangladesh due to the existing socio-cultural disparities between the areas of residence.

Socio-cultural disparities in the quality of children's interactions in preschools

ABSTRACT To date, there is little evidence regarding how well children from socially and educationally disadvantaged families succeed in interacting with other children and teachers in preschools. This paper aims to address this limitation by analysing the relationships between the quality of children's interactions in preschools and indicators of socio-cultural disparities, e.g. migrational and educational background. The data used in this research is based on 241 children at the age of 3–4 years in preschools in Germany. Children's individual interaction quality was measured using the standardised observational instrument Individualised Classroom Assessment Scoring System. Background characteristics of the observed children are available through interviews with parents (e.g. socio-economic status of the family, home learning environment of the children). Only small disparities in the quality of the children's interactions were found. Based on these findings, implications for research and educational practice are discussed.

Archetypal Motherhood and the National Agenda: The Case of the Indian Muslim Women

The grand narratives of Mother India posit women’s emancipation as the central concern, insisting on her public participation in the educational and economic sectors. The relegation of the archetypal motherhood to the national periphery is strictly rooted in the Hindu traditional culture. The schisms of caste, class, and religion in contemporary society are normalised whilst the gendered undercurrents of domestic violence, chauvinism and religious sensibilities are ignored. Such polished idealisms are, in fact, far from the living reality of most women and girls across all spheres in the country. By reviewing notable texts from past and present, this research problematises the position of Muslim women in India, specifically during the nationalistic discourse and post-independent era. The national freedom struggle movement assured a democratic constitution, which primed Mother India as the figurative Indian woman encrypting ideologies from socio-religious discourses. The grand narratives often become instrumental in politicising the vested interest of the hegemonic class. The struggles of Muslim women were foregrounded not only in the gendered disparity of the religious domain but also in the socio-cultural disparities which excluded them from the domain of Indian womanhood. Mainstream history, literature and even women development organisations deliberately typified Muslim women along with the religious discourse. Briefly, in this paper, we infer that Muslim women were rendered invisible in the limelight of the archetypal Mother India, denying their social, political, cultural and literary participation. They were thus subjected to constitutional othering by the mainstream socio-political entities (who subjected them) at the onset of nationalism, which continues to exist in post-colonial discourses where women are expected to constantly negotiate their religious identity over their national identity.

Building Capacity and Training for Digital Health: Challenges and Opportunities in Latin America.

Tackling global health challenges demands the appropriate use of available technologies. Although digital health could significantly improve health care access, use, quality, and outcomes, realizing this possibility requires personnel trained in digital health. There is growing evidence of the benefits of digital health for improving the performance of health systems and outcomes in developed countries. However, significant gaps remain in resource-constrained settings. Technological and socio-cultural disparities between different regions or between provinces within the same country are prevalent. Rural areas, where the promise and need are highest, are particularly deprived. In Latin America, there is an unmet need for training and building the capacity of professionals in digital health. This viewpoint paper aims to present a selection of experiences in building digital health capacity in Latin America to illustrate a series of challenges and opportunities for strengthening digital health training programs in resource-constrained environments. These describe how a successful digital health ecosystem for Latin America requires culturally relevant and collaborative research and training programs in digital health. These programs should be responsive to the needs of all relevant regional stakeholders, including government agencies, non–governmental organizations, industry, academic or research entities, professional societies, and communities. This paper highlights the role that collaborative partnerships can play in sharing resources, experiences, and lessons learned between countries to optimize training and research opportunities in Latin America.

Toward Conceptual Clarity: A Scoping Review of Coteaching in Teacher Education

While coteaching is not a novel or even new approach in P–12 classrooms, its application in teacher education contexts has become increasingly prevalent. Coteaching in teacher education has been touted for its potential to promote collaborative classroom practice, connect theory and praxis, counteract sociocultural disparities in classrooms, and improve outcomes for teacher candidates as well as P–12 students and inservice teachers. This article presents a scoping review of the 103 empirical studies focused on coteaching in teacher education to enhance conceptual clarity and heighten understandings of the nature and extent of such research. We map the methodological characteristics of these studies that serve to the breadth and depth to which coteaching in teacher education has been examined. Next, we describe the outcomes and phenomena explored by the 103 studies to reveal the intended results as well as points of tension for coteaching in teacher education. Finally, we couple an analysis of coteaching definitions within these studies with an analysis of the ways in which coteaching is implemented in teacher education. Notable findings of this scoping review include the extensive range of ways coteaching is implemented across the preservice teacher education curriculum, the variety of aims for coteaching in these contexts, and the need for continued grounding in frameworks to enhance understandings of coteaching practices and impacts for stakeholders including P–12 students, inservice teachers, teacher candidates, and university faculty.

Association of sociocultural factors with initiation of the kidney transplant evaluation process.

Although research shows that minorities exhibit higher levels of medical mistrust, perceived racism, and discrimination in healthcare settings, the degree to which these underlying sociocultural factors preclude end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients from initiating kidney transplant evaluation is unknown. We telephone surveyed 528 adult ESRD patients of black or white race referred for evaluation to a Georgia transplant center (N=3) in 2014-2016. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between sociocultural factors and evaluation initiation, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic characteristics. Despite blacks (n=407) reporting higher levels of medical mistrust (40.0% vs 26.4%, P<.01), perceived racism (55.5% vs 18.2%, P<.01), and experienced discrimination (29.0% vs 15.7%, P<.01) than whites (n=121), blacks were only slightly less likely than whites to initiate evaluation (49.6% vs 57.9%, P=.11). However, after adjustment, medical mistrust (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.39, 0.91), experienced discrimination (OR: 0.62, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.95), and perceived racism (OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.92) were associated with lower evaluation initiation. Results suggest that sociocultural disparities exist in early kidney transplant access and occur despite the absence of a significant racial disparity in evaluation initiation. Interventions to reduce disparities in transplantation access should target underlying sociocultural factors, not just race.

Do effects of center-based care and education on vocabulary and mathematical skills vary with children's sociocultural background?: disparities in the use of and effects of early childhood services

Using data from a survey on cognitive proficiency levels of first graders in Switzerland (N = 1.830), this study analyzes (1) who has access to institutional childcare, (2) whether institutional childcare affects cognitive skills of children who differ in terms of socioeconomic status, home literacy, native country, and home language, and (3) how duration and intensity of childcare affect children's skills. The findings indicate sociocultural disparities in access to childcare. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses suggest that childcare experience did not enhance children's outcomes when social and cultural background characteristics were held constant. For childcare attendees, however, a longer duration of attendance had a positive effect on vocabulary and a higher intensity was related negatively to vocabulary. Children who did not speak German at home benefitted more from childcare in terms of vocabulary skills than German-speaking children. Social background was a significant predictor of vocabulary and math skills. Cultural background additionally impacted on vocabulary skills when social background was controlled for. Implications for policy are discussed.International Research in Early Childhood Education, vol. 3, no. 1, p. 17-40

Obesity trends by industry of employment in the United States, 2004 to 2011.

BackgroundObesity is associated with increased morbidity, occupational injuries, and premature mortality. Obesity also disproportionately affects blacks and socioeconomically disadvantaged workers. However, few studies have evaluated national trends of obesity by employment industry overall and especially by race.MethodsTo investigate national trends of obesity by employment industry overall and by race, we estimated the age-standardized obesity prevalence from 2004 to 2011. We used direct age-standardization with the 2000 US Census population as the standard among 136,923 adults in the US National Health Interview Survey. We also estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) for obesity in black women and men compared to their white counterparts for each employment industry using adjusted Poisson regression models with robust variance.ResultsObesity prevalence increased for men and women over the study period across all employment industry categories, and the healthcare industry had the highest overall age-standardized prevalence (30 %). Black women had a significantly higher obesity prevalence than white women across all employment industry categories, ranging from 33 % (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.16,1.52) in Professional/Management to 74 % in Education (95 % CI: 1.56,1.93). Obesity prevalence was higher among black than white men for Healthcare (PR = 1.39 [1.15,1.69]), Education (PR = 1.39 [1.17,1.67]), Public Administration (PR = 1.34 [1.20,1.49]), and Manufacturing (PR = 1.19 [1.11,1.27]). Differences in obesity prevalence by race were generally widest in professional/management occupations.ConclusionsObesity trends varied substantially overall as well as within and between race-gender groups across employment industries. These findings demonstrate the need for further investigation of racial and sociocultural disparities in the work-obesity relationship to employ strategies designed to address these disparities while improving health among all US workers. Further research and interventions among workers in industries with an increasing or high prevalence of obesity should be prioritized.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40608-016-0100-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Socio-cultural disparities in GDM burden differ by maternal age at first delivery.

AimsSeveral socio-cultural and biomedical risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are modifiable. However, few studies globally have examined socio-cultural associations. To eliminate confounding of increased risk of diabetes in subsequent pregnancies, elucidating socio-cultural associations requires examination only of first pregnancies.MethodsData for all women who delivered their first child in Victoria, Australia between 1999 and 2008 were extracted from the Victorian Perinatal Data Collection. Crude and adjusted GDM rates were calculated. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine odds of GDM within and between socio-cultural groups.ResultsFrom 1999 to 2008, 269,682 women delivered their first child in Victoria. GDM complicated 11,763 (4.4%) pregnancies and burden increased with maternal age, from 2.1% among women aged below 25 years at delivery to 7.0% among those aged 35 years or more. Among younger women, GDM rates were relatively stable across socioeconomic levels. Amongst older women GDM rates were highest in those living in most deprived areas, with a strong social gradient. Asian-born mothers had highest GDM rates. All migrant groups except women born in North-West Europe had higher odds of GDM than Australian-born non-Indigenous women. In all ethnic groups, these differences were not pronounced among younger mothers, but became increasingly apparent amongst older women.ConclusionsSocio-cultural disparities in GDM burden differ by maternal age at first delivery. Socio-cultural gradients were not evident among younger women. Health and social programs should seek to reduce the risk amongst all older women to that of the least deprived older mothers.

Issue Editor Foreword

Issue Editor Foreword

IPS Gives Residents Opportunity to Participate in Valuable Meeting

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article APA MeetingsFull AccessIPS Gives Residents Opportunity to Participate in Valuable MeetingMichael Yao, M.D., M.P.H.Michael YaoSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., M.P.H.Published Online:3 Aug 2012https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.47.15.psychnews_47_15_16-aTwo years ago I went to my first Institute on Psychiatric Services (IPS), which was held in Boston, because I wanted to know more about community psychiatry practices and policies. I managed to get an opportunity to chair a lecture on socio-cultural disparities in mental health care. About half the room was filled, with people drifting in and out. The material and the presenter were solid, but we were up against 10 concurrent sessions that were just as good. The richness of the scientific offerings sustained a lively exchange of ideas long into the night. I met many smart and committed peers and mentors through spontaneous conversations and events sponsored by the American Association of Community Psychiatrists.The IPS holds many opportunities for trainees to participate and be supported in their interests. It’s also where I found a connection with the broader community of my peers and colleagues.For example, after the Boston IPS, several of us started collaborating on a presentation for the 2011 IPS in San Francisco. This institute reproduced Boston’s atmosphere of collegiality and intellectual ferment, but with West Coast casualness. We completed our talk and went on to support our peers in their poster presentations and workshops. When the conference ended for the day, we continued our adventure in the city; it was, after all, Halloween.I asked a fellow resident, Clara Ruiz, M.D., who attended her first IPS in San Francisco, to reflect on the experience. She is a fourth-year psychiatry resident and administrative chief at Oregon Health and Science University.For Clara, it was one particular talk on exploring suicidal ideation in physician patients that made the deepest impression. She wrote, “It touched me because I experienced the suicide of a trusted mentor in my last year of medical school. This loss led to me to realize that though we are taught as physicians to be infallible, no amount of education, experience, or status can protect us from being human and vulnerable to pain and suffering. We are bound to develop problems that we cannot fix ourselves. We come upon the fork in the road where our pride as physicians and the shame of acknowledging imperfection interfere with our ability to ask for help. We should acknowledge that despite our strengths and accomplishments, we are also an at-risk population.… I feel increasingly strongly that we physicians have to create a culture and community where it’s OK to think of ourselves as patients too—that is, deserving of help once in a while. To advocate for the health of our community, we must be a part of this community.”The IPS makes the space for exploration of complex, often difficult topics facing the profession and engaging attendees. For Clara, it seemed that she gained clarity in her core values as a physician through this serendipitous connection at the IPS.So what’s in store for this year? The theme of this year’s institute, which is being held in New York October 4 to 7, is “Pursuing Wellness Through Recovery and Integration.” It will be even bigger and bolder than the previous two institutes. We have innovative programs, “rock-star” presenters, a resident-focused track dealing with training issues and career and leadership development, a keynote lecture by Elyn Saks, J.D., Ph.D., an oral history of community mental health told by the pioneers of the movement, and much more—all, I’m sure, done with a New York accent but keeping to the convivial tone that is the signature of the conference. I’m looking forward to seeing my friends again, making new friends, learning something new, and participating in something meaningful—a community.See you there. Michael Yao, M.D., M.P.H., is a geriatric psychiatry fellow at Oregon Health and Sciences University and a 2010-2013 APA Public Psychiatry Fellow.Registration information and the preliminary program can be accessed at www.psychiatry.org/learn/institute-on-psychiatric-services. Save on fees by registering before the advance registration deadline of September 14. ISSUES NewArchived

A quasi-experimental study into the relations between families' social and cultural background and children's crèche experience and global cognitive competence in primary school

This study analysed the role of both sociocultural background and exposure to a crèche on children's development of cognitive competence in Switzerland. Data were derived from a survey on children's cognitive proficiency after enrolment to primary school. Correlations and multiple linear regressions indicate that crèche experience was not related to children's cognitive proficiency when sociocultural background characteristics were held constant, irrespective of duration and intensity of exposure. However, social and cultural background variables were related significantly to children's competence, suggesting that sociocultural disparities begin to affect children's skills early in life. The results are contextualised within the field of early childhood care and education research, and a number of explanations concerning the absence of effects of crèche are discussed. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for policy. They might encourage policymakers to supply socially disadvantaged children growing up in impoverished learning environments with enriched services and special interventions.