Level Of Socio-economic Development Research Articles

Efficiency of investments in human capital: priorities and prospects for their development

The authors of the article considered the current state and problems of attracting investment in human capital. The purpose of the study is to analyze the attraction of investments in human capital and substantiate their effectiveness. The scientific and practical significance of the study lies in the fact that an assessment was given in the areas of use of investments in human capital. Using the method of analytics of views on the theory of human capital concepts, its place in the development of socio-economic relations made it possible to determine a set of indicators that characterize the effectiveness of investments. The study analyzed the dynamics of attracting investment in human capital at the present stage, which made it possible to identify such problems as the development of human potential, the role of educational services and the system of training human resources in social reproduction. As a consequence, the existing shortcomings in the process of investing human capital depending on the level of development of the country's regions were revealed. The authors within the framework of comparative analysis substantiated the necessity of achieving priority directions of investment resources in human capital development according to the indicators that most strongly influence the level of socio-economic development. In addition, the analysis of various sources of policy documents on the strategic development of the RK, in particular, the state programs of socio-economic direction, allowed us to conclude that the results of the study will make a certain contribution to the development of measures aimed at ensuring further development of human capital, in particular, to increase the level of GRP at the present stage.

A new flow-based centrality method for identifying statistically significant centers

Quantifying the centrality of places and identifying centers constitute the basis for assessing the urban spatial structure, which is essential for sustainable spatial planning. Both the existence and intensity of linkages contribute to the centrality of places. However, few centrality measures consider both aspects simultaneously. Additionally, the identification of centers often relies on specified minimum thresholds, which is subjective and arbitrary. To overcome these limitations, we propose a new flow-based centrality measure (MX-degree) inspired by the scientist's H-index, which effectively integrates flow volume and flow diversity automatically. Furthermore, we design a novel permutation strategy to test the significance of the MX-degree to identify the statistically significant centers. To demonstrate the validity of our method, we conduct a case study quantifying city centrality in China's two urban agglomerations: Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) and Yangtze River Delta (YRD), based on population flow data. Specifically, the MX-degree outperforms other common centrality measures in reflecting cities’ socioeconomic development levels. Significance tests show that the BTH region is dominated by the only statistically significant central city — Beijing, while the YRD region is more polycentric but with an uneven spatial distribution of central cities. Several implications for regional planning by the comparison of spatial structures are provided.

Медико-социальные проблемы гериатрических пациентов.

Introduction. Currently, the demographic situation is characterized by a serious increase in the aging of the population. Life expectancy is an important indicator that determines the level of public health and socio-economic development of the country, which depends on a number of biological and social factors. Geriatric patients are a category of people in need of medical and social assistance. Much has been done in the Russian Federation to improve the quality of life of older people in order to increase life expectancy. Active longevity is an important aspect of the health and social services system. The aim is to study the medical and social problems of geriatric patients in the historical aspect. Materials and methods. The analysis of Russian-language and English-language literature of domestic and foreign authors was carried out in order to verify the medical and social problems of the elderly and determine methods for helping this category of patients. PRISMA data was used to compile the review. Results. Based on the analysis of scientific literature materials, 3 categories of problems in geriatric patients were identified: decreased mental and physical abilities; geriatric syndromes; support for caregivers. Based on these categories, the following subcategories were identified: Decreased mental and physical abilities (loss of mobility; malnutrition; visual impairment; hearing impairment; cognitive impairment; symptoms of depression); geriatric syndromes: (urinary incontinence; risk of falls); support for caregivers. Discussions. The main goal of public health according to the WHO concept of healthy aging is to maintain functioning throughout the life cycle. Taking measures at an early stage plays a crucial role, since the process of senile decrepitude or dependence on outside help can be delayed, slowed down or even partially reversed if appropriate measures are taken at an early stage of reduced functionality. Conclusions. Geriatric patients are a serious medical and social problem that should be solved by: medical workers, government officials, psychologists, social services, volunteers, scientists, relatives of patients.

Razrabotka modeli gibridnogo obucheniya muzykantov-ispolnitelej na osnove obrazovaniya, osnovannogo na rezul'tatah, s uchetom mezhdunarodnogo opyta

Countries with a high level of socio-economic development, faced with global challenges and undesirable consequences of the pandemic of COVID-19, declared their orientation towards reforms in many areas, one of which was education. Today, a new development vector has been proclaimed in this area - the creation of a system that will be minimally exposed to external threats and will contribute to the achievement of national results. This article is devoted to the analysis of international experience in creating a model of education based on results.

The vector of the development of territories under the conditions of the new reality (using single-industry towns in the Chelyabinsk Region as an example)

Subject. The article is focused on the processes which accompany the transformation of the model of a monofunctional municipality (whose main feature is industry monospecialisation) into a multifunctional municipality both in relation to its production specialisation and in relation to its non-production and social spheres. According to the authors, this concept determines the change of the paradigm of a single-industry town's development from the model of “town for a factory” (with the limited functionality characteristic of single-industry towns) to the model of “town for the people” (with an expanded set of functions, most particularly social functions). The purpose of the study is to identify new opportunities and prospects for the development of single-industry towns using the multifunctional model for the functioning of regional single-industry municipalities.Methodology. To identify the main problems to focus on, the authors analysed scientific resources dedicated to the topic. As a result, emphasis was placed on the analysis of the peculiarities and risks related to the functioning of single-industry towns due to their limited functions (in the production and social spheres and in the local labour market). For this, single-industry towns were classified into several groups: by population (small towns, towns, cities, large cities); by socio-economic situation (in crisis, at risk, stable); by the type of the backbone enterprise; and by the quality of the urban environment. The goal of the classification was to determine the socio-economic situation in single-industry towns in the Chelyabinsk Region and to perform a comparative analysis. Single-industry towns were positioned within the following coordinates: “the status of towns by population – their socio-economic status”; “the status of towns by population – the quality of the urban environment”. Conclusions. Based on the analysis of the socio-economic situation in single-industry towns in the Chelyabinsk Region, the authors concluded that single-industry towns in the region have different levels of socio-economic development. This is due to their different economic potential, socio-economic situation (stable, at risk, in crisis), the status of the towns in terms of population, and other factors. We believe that the new approach (using the concept of functionality) will allow us, in terms of the methodology, to update and redefine the functions of single-industry towns and to develop a vision for the future town; and in terms of management, to use the development opportunities of single-industry towns by achieving their multifunctionality.

From blocks to cities: Morphology structure rooted in 3D patterns and forming clusters at the block level

This article proposes a 35D form index system to quantitatively describe the 3D form of urban blocks. Utilizing the T-distributed stochastic neighbor (TSNE) embedding algorithm for cluster analysis, the visually complex and disordered urban 3D texture is translated into distinct form clusters, enabling the recognition of the overall urban form structure from the block perspective. The research methodology includes experiments conducted in the central area of Nanjing and comparative analysis in three neighboring cities: Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou. Results demonstrate the efficacy of form parameters and cluster analysis in achieving sound recognition. The four cities differ remarkably in the number and distribution structure of clusters. Shanghai has the fewest types of clusters with a compact distribution, Suzhou has the most types with a dispersed distribution, and Hangzhou and Nanjing exhibit similar characteristics, located between Shanghai and Suzhou. Correlation analysis reveals a negative relationship between the number of cluster types and the level of urban socioeconomic development in similar areas. This research implies that governments and urban planners can exploit neighborhood morphological types to devise customized spatial management and renewal strategies. The overall urban structure can be improved by strategically minimizing the quantity and distribution of neighborhood morphological types, fostering socioeconomic development.

GROSS REGIONAL PRODUCT AS INDICATOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE POPULATION

The relevance of the issue considered in the article is due to the existing differences between the regions in terms of the level of socio-economic development, which are intensifying in the current sanctions conditions. The purpose of the article is to study the influence of the gross regional product on the level of the socio-economic situation of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the quality of life of the population. The objectives of the study are to establish the relationship between the indicator of the socio-economic situation of the regions and the quality of life of the population. Materials and methods. The information base of the study was the data of Rosstat on the gross regional product, including per capita, the data of the rating agency RIA RETING on the ratings of regions in terms of the level of socio-economic status and quality of life of the population in the regions. The existing indicators of the study of the socio-economic situation of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation use a variety of indicators, but do not take into account the indicator of the gross regional product, this is a feature of the author's approach. The study used methods: analysis, synthesis, grouping, comparison, generalization, tabular, etc. Results. The study found that the gross regional product is of decisive importance in determining the level of the socio-economic situation of the regions. The indicators of the scale and efficiency of the economy (the volume of production of goods and services, the number of people employed in the economy, etc.), the budgetary and social sphere of the regions of the Ural Federal District provide the district with a leading place in the ranking of the socio-economic position of the federal districts. Conclusions. There is a correlation between the indicators "gross regional product", "gross regional product per capita" and the level of socio-economic development of the regions and the quality of life of the population living in them.

Анализ показателей социально-экономического развития муниципальных образований Республики Крым (2019–2022 гг.)

The article considers the socio-economic processes in the Republic of Crimea in 2019-2022. Based on the methodology developed by scientists D.Yu. Zemlyansky, L.V. Kalinovsky, A.G. Makhrova, D.M. Medvednikova, V.A. Chuzhenkova and used to determine the complex index of socio-economic development of Russian cities, the index of socio-economic development of municipalities of the Republic of Crimea was calculated. As a result of the calculations, the municipalities of the Crimea were divided into six groups, depending on the level of socio-economic development: municipalities with maximum, high, increased, medium, low and minimal levels of socio-economic development. It is concluded that municipalities with the lowest level of socio-economic development are located in the northern part of the Crimean peninsula (Dzhankoy and Krasnoperekopsky districts), and with a low, mainly in the eastern part. In turn, the largest number of municipalities with maximum, high and increased level of socio-economic development is recorded in the southern part of Crimea. Most areas of the central part of Crimea have a medium level of socio-economic development.

RЕSTRIСTIОNS AND РRОHIBITIОNS IMРОSЕD ОN THЕ AССUSЕD (SUSРЕСT) WHЕN ЕLЕСTING HОUSЕ ARRЕST AS A MЕASURЕ ОF РRЕSTRЕSSIОN

The article provides an analysis of the restrictions and prohibitions imposed on the accused (suspect) when choosing house arrest. The problems arising during the application of this preventive measure are revealed, foreign experience is investigated, as a result of which the author proposes additions and amendments to the criminal procedure law. The measure of procedural coercion in the form of house arrest is most adequate to the socio-economic level of development of society, corresponds to the principle of individualization of the application of preventive measures, taking into account data on the personality and nature of the committed act, provides prerequisites for the lawful behavior of the subjects of criminal procedural legal relations subject to criminal prosecution. The affiliation of house arrest to preventive measures in criminal proceedings makes it dependent on the general goals of this institution. Consequently, house arrest as a preventive measure primarily ensures the proper behavior of the accused (suspect) in the criminal process. In our opinion, house arrest is a synthesis of several types of preventive measures, the origins of which should be sought in the theory of criminal procedure. A scientific analysis of the legal relations arising from the application of house arrest leads to the conclusion that it is necessary to reform not only the norm governing house arrest, but also the entire set of norms of the criminal procedure law. In this regard, the procedural procedure for the use of investigative actions – listening and recording of negotiations, interception of messages, including the procedural mechanism for transmitting the results of the interception by the contractor to the body carrying out the criminal process, are subject to improvement.

Spatio-temporal modelling of housing satisfaction indicators based on statistical data – evidence from Poland

Motives: The research problem addressed in the paper is the identification of sources of the spatial differentiation of housing satisfaction under the influence of external factors (economic, demographic and social).Aim: The main research objective was to identify the determinants and spatial differentiation of housing satisfaction in Poland. Both classical panel models and spatial panel models were used for the analyses.Results: The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis that the inclusion of spatial dependencies significantly improved the quality of the panel model. The developed models supported the determination of statistical relationships between economic, demographic and social factors, the number of dwellings per 1000 inhabitants, and the average floor space per person. In addition, the spatial distribution of individual effects in spatial panel models revealed variation in housing satisfaction that resulted from different levels of socio-economic development.

The effect of official intervention on reducing the use of potentially discriminatory language during the COVID-19 pandemic in China

This study used the Baidu Index to analyze searches using discriminatory language toward the source of the outbreak during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found a strong correlation between official intervention and a reduction in searches using discriminatory language. Following the official naming of the virus bt the government, the general public understood that searches using discriminatory language should be avoided, and search behavior dramatically changed. Meanwhile, this study also found that official intervention also overcame the effects of local socioeconomic factors. Regions with higher levels of socioeconomic development and higher population density had a stronger discriminatory language in internet searches, while the opposite was the case for regions with lower CPI and unemployment rates. However, after the official intervention, these factors no longer had a significant effect. It is recommended that officials worldwide provide early official media guidance during infectious disease outbreaks to reduce the use of discriminatory language and ensure the delivery of transparent and effective information to the public.

Burden of non-communicable diseases among adolescents and young adults aged 10-24 years in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Although non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain the leading causes of mortality and disability worldwide, little comprehensive or recent evidence of the burden of NCDs among adolescents and young adults in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions is available. We aimed to report population shifts in people aged 10-24 years and their NCD burden from 1990 to 2019 using data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019. We retrieved data from GBD 2019 for people aged 10-24 years in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions from 1990 to 2019. We presented population shifts and analysed deaths, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for NCDs. We also quantified the associations of deaths and DALYs with the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) effective coverage index using Spearman correlation and linear regression analyses. Percentages are reported to 1 decimal place and rates are reported to 2 decimal places. In 2019, there were 559·2 million young people aged 10-24 years in the South-East Asia region and 335·0 million in the Western Pacific region; India and China remained the countries with greatest number of this age group. In 1990-2019, India had an absolute increase of 139·4 million adolescents, while China had a decrease of 134·3 million. In 2019, NCDs accounted for 27·3% (95% uncertainty interval 25·1 to 29·2) and 34·6% (33·5 to 36·1) of total deaths, and 49·8% (45·3 to 54·4) and 65·1% (60·6 to 69·3) of total DALYs in the South-East Asia and the Western Pacific regions, respectively. Neoplasms, cardiovascular diseases, and mental disorders were the leading causes of NCD burden in 42 countries. Kiribati had the highest rates of deaths (62·82 [50·77 to 76·11] per 100 000 population), YLLs (4364·73 [3545·04 to 5275·63] per 100 000 population), and DALYs (9368·73 [7713·65 to 11340·99] per 100 000 population) for NCDs, whereas Australia (6976·51 [5044·46 to 9190·01] per 100 000 population) and New Zealand (6716·81 [4827·25 to 8827·69] per 100 000 population) had the largest rates of YLDs due to NCDs. From 1990 to 2019 across both regions, the rate of death due to NCDs declined by over a third (-32·8% [-41·1 to -22·9] in the South-East Asia region and -40·0% [-48·6 to -30·4] in the Western Pacific region), and DALYs decreased by about 12% (-12·0% [-16·8 to -7·7] in the South-East Asia region and -12·8% [-17·7 to -8·7] in the Western Pacific region), whereas the proportion of NCD burden relative to all-cause burden increased (45·7% [32·9 to 61·7] for deaths and 41·2% [35·2 to 48·8] for DALYs in the South-East Asia region; 11·8% [7·1 to 21·5] for deaths and 18·2% [14·6 to 22·0] for DALYs in the Western Pacific region). The rate of deaths and DALYs due to NCDs decreased monotonically alongside increases in SDI (rs=-0·57 [95% CI -0·81 to -0·32] for deaths and rs=-0·30 [-0·61 to 0·03] for DALYs). The rate of deaths (rs=-0·89 [95% CI -0·97 to -0·80]) and DALYs (rs=-0·67 [-0·93 to -0·41]) due to NCDs also decreased alongside increases in the UHC effective coverage index. Specific preventive and health service measures are needed for adolescents and young adults in countries with different levels of socioeconomic development to reduce the burden from NCDs. National Natural Science Foundation of China. For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Interconnections assessment of banking capitalization with macroeconomic stability, including corruption and shadow economy

The research focuses on bank capitalization and macroeconomic stability, including corruption and the shadow economy. A well-capitalized banking system and a low corruption level are important for maintaining macroeconomic stability and reducing the size of the shadow economy. The paper is aimed at assessing the relationship between bank capitalization and macroeconomic stability, which includes corruption and shadow economy through canonical analysis. The research is conducted on the basis of financial and economic reporting of 35 countries with different levels of socio-economic development during 2010–2021 based on data from the World Bank and the European Central Bank. The main input blocks macroeconomic stability – corruption – shadow economy are characterized. During the research, the following tools were used: – methods of grouping, analysis and comparison in determining the characteristics of the elements of the chain «level of capitalization of the banking system – macroeconomic stability – corruption – shadow economy»; – factor analysis by applying the method of principal components in the selection of statistically significant indicators of the bank capitalization level and macroeconomic stability. The quantitative assessment of the bank capitalization level revealed the following dependencies: there is a strong correlation between return on assets and the level of non-performing loans, return on assets and return on equity. Using the principal components method, the following statistically significant indicators of macroeconomic stability were identified: GDP, Gini index, corruption perception index, corruption control index, and political stability index. Research, based on the canonical analysis, determined that 71.1% of changes in macroeconomic stability indicators are explained by fluctuations in the level of bank capitalization. The level of non-performing loans has a negative impact on macroeconomic stability, while the volatility of return on assets and return on equity has a greater positive impact on the development of the country's economy. The obtained results can be used by banks in the development of their resource and management policies, in the analysis of the volatility of capitalization level, by state bodies in the development of national policies of the country's economic development.

Problems of protection in Ukraine and foreign experience of prevention from domestic violence

The article examines the problem of domestic violence, which, unfortunately, is taking place in Ukraine today. Over the past 3 years, Ukraine has been shackled by various factors that greatly affect the psychological state of people. First it’s a pandemic, now it’s a war. Specialists do not have time to develop measures that would prevent the occurrence of this type of violence. However, it is impossible to predict exactly.
 Problems of protection against domestic violence can be divided into several main groups.
 Lack of effective legislation and its application: Often the legislation does not meet the needs of the times and does not contain a sufficient number of protective mechanisms. In addition, existing laws are often not applied effectively enough, as a result of which rapists remain outside justice.
 Socio-economic factors: Low level of socio-economic development of the region, low education and cultural level of families, dangerous traditions and beliefs that support violence can contribute to the spread of domestic violence.
 Persistent stereotypes and low educational and informational culture: Victims often do not seek help due to persistent stereotypes regarding the role of men and women in the family, fear of society’s reaction and fear of losing children, as well as due to a low educational and informational culture that does not provide opportunities consciously recognize the problem and look for ways to solve it.
 Inadequate help and support for victims: Victims are not always given enough help and support after seeking help, which can lead to them remaining in the relationship with the abuser.
 Inadequate work with rapists: Usually, various forms of punishment are used for rapists, but until sufficient work is done to rehabilitate them, the problem of domestic violence will not go away.
 Another problem is that many victims of domestic violence do not seek help from law enforcement or social services because of fear, distrust of the system, or financial dependence on the abuser. Therefore, it is important to improve mechanisms for victims to seek help, to ensure confidentiality and safety during the application, as well as to ensure that victims understand that their rights will be protected.

Regulation of municipal development in unstable conditions: Institutional and budgetary instruments

Subject. The article is devoted to the specifics of municipal development regulation in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in a volatile economic situation. Objectives. We focus on creating an approach to assess the effectiveness of institutional and budgetary tools for territorial development regulation in modern conditions. Methods. The study rests on analysis, synthesis, analogy, methods of comparison and grouping. Results. We developed evidence-based recommendations on creation and improvement of an approach to using the institutional and budgetary instruments by regional authorities to regulate territorial development. Its distinctive feature is an assessment of effectiveness in the short and long-term. We revealed differences in the impact of financial instruments on municipalities with different levels of socio-economic development and offered a differentiated approach to the distribution of non-targeted transfers for various groups of municipalities in unstable environments. This is aimed at maintaining the interest in self-financing their development in the long term. Conclusions. The suggested approach to the use of institutional and financial instruments of regulation at the regional level allows for a comprehensive assessment of their effectiveness. This enables, if necessary, to quickly adjust the regulatory framework and the practice of funds distribution between municipalities in unstable external environment.

Assessment of Socio-Economic Adaptability to Ageing in Resource-Based Cities and Its Obstacle Factor

The resource-based city is a type of city with pronounced ageing problems. Correctly grasping the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in resource-based cities can help actively guide the direction of urban development and build a new socio-economic order for the elderly. This paper first selects 125 resource-based cities in China from 2000 to 2020 for characteristic analysis, and finds that resource-based cities are characterized by fast growth rate and a large proportion of ageing population, deep ageing, large regional differences and uncoordinated ageing development with regional socio-economic development levels. The research objective of this article is to explore the temporal evolution characteristics, spatial patterns, agglomeration characteristics, and factors hindering the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in resource-based cities in China from 2000 to 2020. Therefore, an indicator system for assessing the socio-economic adaptability to ageing was constructed, and the improved entropy-weighted TOPSIS model was used to measure the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in 113 resource-based cities in China from 2000 to 2020. The spatio-temporal variation characteristics of the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in resource-based cities were analyzed by descriptive analysis and Moran’s index, and the main obstacle dimensions and obstacle indicators were clarified by the obstacle factor model. The findings can be summarized as follows: Temporal Analysis: Over the timeframe assessed, the socio-economic adaptability of ageing in resource cities demonstrates a consistent year-on-year improvement. The spatial clustering pattern exhibits a noteworthy trend of “significant-significant-insignificant”. Spatial Pattern: Examining the spatial arrangement from 2000 to 2020, areas with medium-low and low adaptability are prominently concentrated in Eastern China and Northeastern China, while regions with medium-high and high adaptability are focal in Northern China and Eastern China. Hebei Province and its neighboring provinces consistently display H-H clustering, contrasting with the Southwestern regions that persistently exhibit L-L clustering. Obstacle Degree Analysis: Across the 2000 to 2020 period, dimensions related to economic development, social participation, and social security consistently emerge as the primary obstacles. Notably, the top 12 average annual obstacle indicators are selected, and within economic development dimension all 4 indicators predominate as the key obstacles. Within the social participation dimension, tertiary sector value added and total retail sales of consumer goods per capita feature as primary obstacles. Regarding social security, impediments are primarily associated with the ratio of Medicare coverage, the ratio of pension coverage, alongside the development level of the social security sector. In the domain of service provision, key obstacle indicators include park area per capita, number of books in public libraries per 100 inhabitants, and public trams and buses per 10,000 inhabitants.

Classification of Russian Regions by the Level of Agricultural Development in 2019–2021

The urgency of improving mathematical and statistical tools for analyzing agricultural complex across the territories of our country depends on the gravity of the issue of interregional differentiation of the scale of development of agricultural production, which plays a crucial role in the implementation of the Food Security Doctrine of the Russian Federation.The introductory part of the article presents an overview of the literature on food security issues, an analysis of the current state of domestic agriculture, and directions for its development. The body of the article explains the research methodology, which allows to classify, first andforemost, agricultural regions (indicating their territorial location, socio-economic characteristics, and predictive characteristics). As an indicator of the intensity of agricultural development in the regions, the authors used the volume of agricultural production per capita, which became a criterion for selecting 25% of the regions with the maximum values of this indicator. That said, by an agro-region (or agricultural region) is meant a region that produces more agricultural production than needed and exports its surplus outside the region or country (food exports). In the multidimensional classification of agro-regions, three clusters are determined (according to the level of socio-economic development, the development efficiency of the economic activity «Agriculture, forestry, hunting, and fishing», and the volume of crop and livestock production). The paper analyses the dynamics and predictive characteristics of the development of the cluster-average volume of agricultural production per capita (including crop production and animal husbandry). An analysis of the dynamics of exports of food products and agricultural raw materials per capita by clusters revealed that the regions of the first cluster are the most actively developing, and the regions of the third cluster (with the most developed animal husbandry) are oriented towards domestic consumers.According to the authors, during the analyzed period in Russia, there was a positive trend in the development of agriculture, with the development of agro-regions outpacing all-Russian trends. The highest development rates are typical for agro-regions with a balanced development of crop and livestock production (regions of the first cluster).

Preference of consumers for higher-grade energy-saving appliances in hierarchical Chinese cities

Promotion of energy-saving household appliances (ESHAs) potentially contributes to optimizing both the total quantity and efficiency of household energy consumption. Differences in urban consumers’ preference for higher-grade ESHAs as well as its influencing factors in cities with hierarchical socioeconomic levels remain elusive. Targeting 55 Chinese cities pertaining to three levels of socioeconomic development, we distribute questionnaires designed to cover both demographic and consciousness factors. By combining Contingent Valuation Method and multiple linear regression, the extra willingness to pay (WTP) for Grade-1/2 appliances compared with Grade-3 appliances is measured, and the influence factors on the WTP as well as consumers with highest WTP are identified. The extra WTP for Grade-1 appliances in First-, Second- and Third-level cities is 44.1%, 42.3% and 32.7%, respectively. The influences of age, household income, having children or not and monthly electricity bill parallel the socioeconomic level, while gender and schooling affect differently across socioeconomic levels. Consumers in less developed cities focus more on their affordability for the ESHAs, and in more developed cities have better environmental consciousness. Subsidies for consumers, such as those having master degree or above in First-level and Second-level cities, and having children in Third-level cities will increase their WTP. The findings provide insights for policy interventions aimed at boosting the purchase behavior for ESHAs according to local conditions for control of both household energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Association of Catastrophic Health Expenditure With the Risk of Depression in Chinese Adults: Population-Based Cohort Study.

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, and it may have a lasting effect on one's whole life. As a form of financial hardship, catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) may be associated with depression. However, current evidence about the relationship between CHE and the risk of depression is insufficient. This study aimed to explore the relationship between CHE and the risk of depression among Chinese adults. In this study, we used 3 waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2012, 2016, and 2018. The CFPS are a nationally representative study covering 25 of 31 provinces in Chinese mainland and representing nearly 94.5% of the total population. We selected eligible household heads as participants, divided them into 2 groups by CHE events at baseline (exposed group: with CHE; unexposed group: without CHE), and followed them up. Households with CHE were defined as having out-of-pocket medical expenditures exceeding 40% of the total household nonfood expenditure, and people with depression were identified by the 8-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). We first described the baseline characteristics and used logistical regression to estimate their effects on CHE events. Then, we used Cox proportional hazard models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios and 95% CIs of depression among participants with CHE compared with those without CHE. Finally, we analyzed the subgroup difference in the association between CHE and depression. Of a total of 13,315 households, 9629 were eligible for analysis. Among them, 6824 (70.9%) were men. The mean age was 50.15 (SD 12.84) years. Only 987 (10.3%) participants had no medical insurance. The prevalence of CHE at baseline was 12.9% (1393/9629). Participants with a higher family economic level (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.31) and with the highest socioeconomic development level (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.34) had a higher prevalence of CHE than reference groups. During a median of 71 (IQR 69-72) person-months of follow-up, the depression incidence of participants with CHE (1.41 per 1000 person-months) was higher than those without CHE (0.73 per 1000 person-months). Multivariable models revealed that the adjusted hazard ratio for the incidence of depression in participants with CHE was 1.33 (95% CI 1.08-1.64), and this association appeared to be greater in participants without outpatient services (for interaction, P=.048). CHE was significantly associated with increased risk of depression among Chinese adults. Concentrated work should be done to monitor CHE, and more efforts to ensure financial protection need to be made to prevent depression, especially for people with high health care needs.

Factors associated with healthy aging in Latin American populations

Latin American populations may present patterns of sociodemographic, ethnic and cultural diversity that can defy current universal models of healthy aging. The potential combination of risk factors that influence aging across populations in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries is unknown. Compared to other regions where classical factors such as age and sex drive healthy aging, higher disparity-related factors and between-country variability could influence healthy aging in LAC countries. We investigated the combined impact of social determinants of health (SDH), lifestyle factors, cardiometabolic factors, mental health symptoms and demographics (age, sex) on healthy aging (cognition and functional ability) across LAC countries with different levels of socioeconomic development using cross-sectional and longitudinal machine learning models (n = 44,394 participants). Risk factors associated with social and health disparities, including SDH (β > 0.3), mental health (β > 0.6) and cardiometabolic risks (β > 0.22), significantly influenced healthy aging more than age and sex (with null or smaller effects: β < 0.2). These heterogeneous patterns were more pronounced in low-income to middle-income LAC countries compared to high-income LAC countries (cross-sectional comparisons), and in an upper-income to middle-income LAC country, Costa Rica, compared to China, a non-upper-income to middle-income LAC country (longitudinal comparisons). These inequity-associated and region-specific patterns inform national risk assessments of healthy aging in LAC countries and regionally tailored public health interventions.