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Objective. The number of cancer survivors is increasing, and the high prevalence of frailty not only reduces quality of life but also affects the treatment of cancer patients. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors of frailty in cancer patients and to construct a nomogram to predict the probability of frailty. Methods. Nine hundred fifty‐eight cancer patients were included in this retrospective study, randomly divided into a development set (n = 680) and a validation set (n = 278). Frailty was assessed using the Tilburg frailty indicator (TFI). Social support, medical coping styles, and psychological distress were assessed by the Social Support Self‐Rating Scale (SSRS), Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ), and distress thermometer (DT), respectively. Results. The prevalence of frailty in cancer patients was 45.93%. Cancer patients who exercised regularly, ate a balanced diet, and actively coped with diseases were less likely to become frail. The risk factors for frailty identified by a multivariate analysis were parenteral nutrition, advanced TNM staging, vegetarian diet, unemployment, psychological distress ≥4, low physical activity, and negative coping styles. These risk factors were used to construct a nomogram, and the C‐index, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the performance of the nomogram. The C‐index was 0.762, and the calibration curve showed satisfactory coherence. The net benefit of the nomogram was better between threshold probabilities of 17%–96% in DCA. Conclusion. Special focus needs to be placed on frail cancer patients due to their high prevalence and severe outcomes. Clinical medical workers could use this nomogram to identify high‐risk patients and intervene early to prevent frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased funding provided for Community Health Worker (CHW) hiring and training as part of the COVID‐19 pandemic response was to increase their impact in alleviating the effects of negative social determinants of health in the lives of the most vulnerable individuals and communities. This enhanced use of CHW in vulnerable populations can also be used to improve access to such populations for applied research to study ways to improve health outcomes for low‐income minority populations. We carried out a feasibility study using the State CHW association as partners to reach CHWs working with low‐income minority population. Three hundred and three (303) clients of CHWs were interviewed on various demographic, health access, and employment information and both univariate and multivariate analyses was used to determine factors associated with being unvaccinated against COVID‐19 and chi‐squared used to determine if employment was associated with having health insurance. About half of the clients self‐identified as Black/African American and half as Hispanic. Two‐thirds were women and 52.1% were unemployed and 55.1% had no health insurance. There was no association between employment status and having health insurance. Majority (71.6%) had received one dose of a type of COVID‐19 vaccine and being younger and being African American were associated with not getting a dose of COVID‐19 vaccine, as well as being unemployed and not having health insurance. Most of the clients came to see the CHW about a Health/Healthcare issue of the five social determinants of health (SDOH). There were 38 different job titles provided by the clients and the job titles were mainly blue collar jobs and jobs in health and personal care. Our results indicate that CHWs reach the most vulnerable population who have limited health access and high unemployment and that CHWs can effectively be used for linkage to low‐income minority population for applied research. Our analyses found that in this low‐income population, being younger, being African American, being unemployed, and not having health insurance are each associated with not getting vaccinated against COVID‐19, and employment is not associated with having health insurance. We have shown that partnership with CHWs to access their clients as research subjects leads to elucidating new information on the population that can be used in addressing public health programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring good quality of life (QoL) among persons with diagnosed HIV (PWH) is a priority of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), which established 2025 goals for improving QoL. Goals are monitored through five indicators: self-rated health, unmet needs for mental health services, unemployment, hunger or food insecurity, and unstable housing or homelessness. Among the growing population of PWH aged ≥50 years, progress toward these goals has not been assessed. Data collected during the 2017--2022 cycles of the Medical Monitoring Project, an annual complex sample survey of U.S. adults with diagnosed HIV, assessed progress toward NHAS 2025 QoL goals among PWH aged ≥50 years, overall and by age group. The recent estimated annual percentage change from baseline (2017 or 2018) to 2022 was calculated for each indicator. Among PWH aged ≥50 years, the 2025 goal of 95% PWH with good or better self-rated health is 46.2% higher than the 2022 estimate. The 2025 goals of a 50% reduction in the other indicators range from 26.3% to 56.3% lower than the 2022 estimates. Decreasing hunger or food insecurity by 50% among PWH aged ≥65 was the only goal met by 2022. If recent trends continue, other NHAS QoL 2025 goals are unlikely to be met. Multisectoral strategies to improve access to housing, employment, food, and mental health will be needed to meet NHAS 2025 goals for QoL among older PWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Approximately onethird of cancer survivors encounter challenges reintegrating into the workforce, often experiencing involuntary unemployment and/or partial or full work disability following diagnosis and treatment. Returning to paid employment presents evident challenges due to uncertainties regarding work ability, perceived employer discrimination, and a lack of support, thereby risking social exclusion. However, interventions addressing return to paid employment among unemployed and/or work-disabled cancer survivors are scarce. Here, we describe the protocol of a randomized controlled trial (RCT), including a process and economic evaluation, evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the PLACES (unemPLoyed cAnCEr survivors Support) intervention aimed at supporting unemployed and/or work-disabled cancer survivors returning to paid employment. Methods: A two-armed RCT with a 12-month follow-up period will be conducted. Eligible participants: (1) are of working age (18–65 years), (2) are diagnosed with cancer between 6 months and 10 years ago, (3) are unemployed and/or partially or fully work-disabled, (4) have completed cancer treatment, and (5) are seeking paid employment and are motivated to initiate work immediately. Participants will primarily be identified through the Dutch Social Security Agency and the Netherlands Cancer Registry and recruited via healthcare professionals. Participants randomly allocated to the intervention group (n = 82) will receive the PLACES intervention: a tailored supported employment intervention based on the principles of Individual Placement and Support (IPS). This includes support in seeking, returning to, and maintaining paid employment. Participants allocated to the control group (n = 82) will receive care as usual. All participants will be asked to complete questionnaires, at baseline (T0), and after 3 (T1), 6 (T2), and 12 (T3) months of follow-up. The primary outcome is paid employment [yes/no]. Secondary outcomes are time until paid employment, change in working hours, work ability, quality of (working) life, and self-efficacy regarding return to work. Additionally, process and economic evaluations will be conducted. Discussion: We hypothesize that the PLACES intervention will be effective in obtaining paid employment, enhancing work ability, and improving quality of life. In addition, we expect the intervention to be cost-effective. If proven effective and cost-effective, actions should be taken to implement the intervention in usual care. Trial registration: NCT06028048. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objective of the present study is to contrast two crises of different nature, the subprime crisis of 2008, and the health crisis of 2020, and its consequences on employment in twenty-four economies in Latin America and the Caribbean. The methodological design is based on a data panel with fixed effects considering the period from 2005 to 2021. Data is extracted from the World Bank. The explanatory variables are GDP, inflation, foreign direct investment, and the coverage of work and social protection programs. After realizing the tests of Breusch Pagan, Hausman, Wooldridge and Wald, an econometric model of Panel Corrected Standard Errors with fixed effects and dichotomous variables is implemented, to describe the effect of time. It was found that both periods, 2008 and 2020, were significant. Moreover, a greater impact on the increase in unemployment because of the health crisis 2020 is confirmed due to the decrease in production and the precariousness of the labour market in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive literature has shown that women's employment contributes to increasing rates of household savings and economic growth. Likewise, evidence has been reported that in an economic integration scheme, such as that of Central America, the strong economic interdependence existing between countries, because of their relatively high trade flows of imports and exports, gives rise to the spread of economic developments occurring in a country. This paper investigates the extent to which the increase in female employment in the countries of the Northern Triangle of Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras) leads to the increase in growth rates in the other countries (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama). For this purpose, principal components, which is a data compression methodology, is used. The variables that are included in the vector of principal components are the female-to-male employment ratios in the industrial sectors of the Northern Triangle countries. All data used in the analyses were taken from the World Bank's World Development Indicators. The first principal component of these variables explains 77 percent of the variance, and its decrease represents the deindustrialization of the respective countries. The second principal component accounts for 17 percent of the variance, and its increase represents the expansion of the service sector in the countries. The estimation of error correction equations showed that the first principal component of the female-to-male employment ratios of the industrial sector in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica, exerted positive impacts on the economic growth rates of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, while the second principal component exerted negative impacts. The results also showed that the ratios of female to male industrial employment, as well as the first principal component, fell as tariffs on imports were reduced, reflecting a process of deindustrialization which has led to losses in economic growth, and a decrease in trade flows, and rising youth unemployment and increases of the underground economy with adverse impacts on productivity. Likewise, trends towards economic stagnation and rising unemployment have led to increases in irregular emigration and remittances. Another important result is that the process of deindustrialization, fueled by the extreme openness of economies, has generated a substantial increase in the homicide rate. In summary, the results show that female employment generates increases in the economic growth rate of the respective country and in the other member countries. However, this process of regional employment induction is undermined by the extreme openness of economies, which means that the main beneficiaries of the economic dynamism imparted by the increase in female employment may be the countries from which it is imported. In other words, "globalization" or "openness" frustrates national efforts at economic and social development. It should be noted that in the 1960s and 1970s, when the model of import substitution prevailed, the Central American economies grew at rates twice as high as those prevailing after the "reforms." The economic policy recommendations are based on the promotion of women's employment by increasing the levels of female schooling, the establishment of national networks of childcare centers, combating discrimination against women in the workplace, etc. Efforts to increase women's employment will be better developed if they are structured within the framework of a national/regional employment strategy, in which objectives and targets would be established for each country, and the actions to be carried out in the areas of obtaining resources, identifying, approving and supervising projects would be outlined, and the results goals would be established with the respective indicators to be achieved in the medium and long term. But it should be pointed out that these actions cannot yield the results sought in the current structure of extreme openness of economies, which makes it necessary to design and implement policies to achieve the reindustrialization and re-agriculturalization of the economies, seeking, in addition to increasing economic dynamism, the increase of quality employment, and the reduction of violence and irregular emigration, the achievement of self-sufficiency and sustained increases in the production of goods of special importance. The results of this work have shown that in efforts to reignite economic growth, women's employment and Central American economic integration can play important roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Achieving health equity is important to improve population health; however, health equity is not typically well defined, integrated, or measured within health service and delivery systems. To improve population health, it is necessary to understand barriers and facilitators to health equity integration within health service and delivery systems. This study aimed to explore health equity integration among health systems workers and identify key barriers and facilitators to implementing health equity strategies within the health service and delivery system in Nova Scotia, ahead of the release of a Health Equity Framework, focused on addressing inequities within publicly funded institutions. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to recruit individuals working on health equity initiatives including those in high-level leadership positions within the Nova Scotia health system. Individual interviews and a joint interview session were conducted. Topics of discussion included current integration of health equity through existing strategies and perceptions within participant roles. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to guide coding and analysis, with interviews transcribed and deductively analyzed in NVivo. Qualitative description was employed to describe study findings as barriers and facilitators to health equity integration. Results: Eleven individual interviews and one joint interview (n = 5 participants) were conducted, a total of 16 participants. Half (n = 8) of the participants were High-level Leaders (i.e., manager or higher) within the health system. We found that existing strategies within the health system were inadequate to address inequities, and variation in the use of indicators of health equity was indicative of a lack of health equity integration. Applying the CFIR allowed us to identify barriers to and facilitators of health equity integration, with the power of legislation to implement a Health Equity Framework, alongside the value of partnerships and engagement both being seen as key facilitators to support health equity integration. Barriers to health equity integration included inadequate resources devoted to health equity work, a lack of diversity among senior system leaders and concerns that existing efforts to integrate health equity were siloed. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that health equity integration needs to be prioritized within the health service and delivery system within Nova Scotia and identifies possible strategies for implementation. Appropriate measures, resources and partnerships need to be put in place to support health equity integration following the introduction of the Health Equity Framework, which was viewed as a key driver for action. Greater diversity within health system leadership was also identified as an important strategy to support integration. Our findings have implications for other jurisdictions seeking to advance health equity across health service and delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Open-Doors Home (ODH) program, which was established by Gabay sa Pulang Laso Inc. (GPLI) in the Philippines to provide non-biomedical interventions for people living with HIV (PLHIV) who are experiencing homelessness and unemployment. The program aims to address the psychosocial and socioeconomic needs of PLHIV through individualized support, including shelter, nutrition, education, psychosocial counseling, career guidance, and livelihood training. The program also incorporates Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy (SEGT) sessions to improve mental health. The ODH program has shown promising results in enhancing the mental wellbeing and socioeconomic capacity of PLHIV, and there is a need to integrate similar programs into the existing HIV care cascade in the Philippines. [Extracted from the article]

Simple Summary: Persistent survival disparities by racial/ethnic groups are expected to worsen with rising incidence rates of aggressive uterine cancer subtypes. Understanding the impact of area-based socioeconomic factors on survival outcomes may help to better understand these disparities. This research aims to understand how living in counties with lower educational attainment, higher poverty, higher unemployment, lower median household income, and population density in urban areas may impact survival rates of women diagnosed with uterine cancer across racial/ethnic groups. Our findings show that lower county-level socioeconomic characteristics are linked with worse survival rates, mainly impacting women diagnosed with aggressive histologic subtypes and underrepresented racial/ethnic groups. Regardless of tumor and socioeconomic characteristics, non-Hispanic (NH) Black women consistently experience the poorest survival outcomes compared to other racial/ethnic groups included in this study. Racial/ethnic disparities in survival were observed even in the most affluent counties, suggesting that other factors beyond county-level socioeconomic status are at play. Understanding socioeconomic factors contributing to uterine cancer survival disparities is crucial, especially given the increasing incidence of uterine cancer, which disproportionately impacts racial/ethnic groups. We investigated the impact of county-level socioeconomic factors on five-year survival rates of uterine cancer overall and by histology across race/ethnicity. We included 333,013 women aged ≥ 30 years with microscopically confirmed uterine cancers (2000–2018) from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 22 database followed through 2019. Age-standardized five-year relative survival rates were compared within race/ethnicity and histology, examining the differences across tertiles of county-level percent (%)

Background: Employment provides economic security, a social network, and is important for self-identity. A review published by van der Noordt and colleagues in 2014 showed that employment was beneficial for depression and general mental health. However, an updated synthesis including research published in the last decade is lacking. In the planned review, we aim to update, critically assess, and synthesise the current evidence of the association between paid employment (excluding precarious employment) and common mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and psychological distress) among the working age population in the labour force. Methods: We will follow recommended guidelines for conducting and reporting systematic reviews. Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycINFO, and Web of Science) will be searched from 2012, using appropriate MeSH terms and text words related to our inclusion criteria. We will screen the records against predefined eligibility criteria, first by title and abstract using the priority screening function in EPPI-Reviewer, before proceeding to full-text screening. Only studies investigating the longitudinal relationship between employment and common mental health outcomes will be included. We will search for grey literature in OpenAlex and conduct backward and forward citation searches of included studies. The methodological quality of the included studies will be assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2), Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I), or the Newcastle–Ottawa scale (NOS). We will conduct a narrative review and, if possible following pre-set criteria, conduct random-effects meta-analyses to estimate the pooled effect of employment on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress, across the included studies. Discussion: An updated review of the association between non-precarious employment and mental health outcomes is needed. In the planned review, we will assess the quality of the included studies and synthesise the results across studies to make them easily accessible to policy makers and researchers. The results from the review can be used to aid in policy decisions and guide future research priorities. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023405919. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is increasing awareness of the need to analyse symptoms of mental ill-health among early school leavers. Dropping out of compulsory education limits access to the labour market and education and could be related to deteriorating mental health over the course of a lifetime. The aim of this longitudinal study is to explore how early school leavers not in education, employment or training (NEET) narrate their working life trajectories linked to health, agency and gender relations. Methods: Twelve early school leavers in the Swedish Northern Cohort (six women and six men) were interviewed over 40 years about their working life and health. Their life stories were analysed using structural narrative analysis to examine the evolution of their working life paths and to identify commonalities, variations and gendered patterns. Results: All the participants started in the same position of "an unhealthy gendered working life in youth due to NEET status". Subsequently, three distinct working life paths evolved: "a precarious gendered working life with negative health implications", "a stable gendered working life in health challenging jobs" and "a self-realising gendered working life with improved health". Agency was negotiated through struggle narratives, survival narratives, coping narratives and redemption narratives. Conclusions: Even in a welfare regime like Sweden's in the early 1980s, early school leavers not in education, employment or training experienced class-related and gendered working and living conditions, which created unequal conditions for health. Despite Sweden's active labour market policies and their own practices of agency, the participants still ended up NEET and with precarious working life paths. Labour market policies should prioritise reducing unemployment, combating precarious employment, creating job opportunities, providing training and subsidised employment in healthy environments, and offering grants to re-enter further education. Our study highlights the need for further analyses of the contextual and gendered expressions of health among early school leavers throughout their lifetime, and of individual agency in various contexts for overcoming adversities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI) on youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by using a modified labour demand model to identify the investment sources that are helpful for reducing youth unemployment in the region. The model is applied to a panel of 42 countries for the period 2003–2021 using random-effect, and generalized method of moment (GMM) estimators for robustness check. Our results suggest that Chinese FDI has direct short-term reducing effect on youth unemployment in SSA. The direction of China's capital investment to infrastructure development and other labour-intensive activities leads to immediate reduction in youth unemployment. However, overtime, due to absence of linkages with domestic firms, and thus lack of demand effects, Chinese FDI becomes insignificant for employment creation. Our results also indicate that Other FDI does not lead to significant reduction in youth unemployment both currently and overtime. Our analysis gives partial support to the argument that the impact of Chinese FDI may differ from those of developed countries. Finally, we could not find evidence that the effect of FDI on employment depends on host country human capital and institutional quality. Several specifications of the empirical model are tested, and explanations are provided for the results. Policy implications are highlighted, especially the need to attract more job absorbing FDI and improve domestic absorptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worsening joblessness in India is put forward here from the multiple and interconnected argumentative lens of formal-informal dichotomy by labour productivity differential, market size constraint, labour market flexibility, capital inflows, political constraint, corporate industrialization and welfare economic implications. In the process, the limitations of the classic developmental ideas of Kuznets, Lewis and Schumpeter are critiqued. Thereafter, an alternative policy framework is proposed to achieve economic development focused on employment, equity and environmental uplift. The paper shows how the massive unemployment problem can be managed in India's democratic set up by departing from conventional wisdom about industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited availability of formal jobs in developing nations always heightens the challenge for unemployed individuals in securing regular employment. Temporary employment in the informal sector serves as a source to fulfill their basic needs and enhance their employable skills. In this paper, we introduce a nonlinear mathematical model to study the effect of informal and formal jobs on the dynamics of unemployment. For the model formulation, we categorize the labor force into three classes: unemployed, temporary employed, and regularly employed. A separate dynamical variable is used to represent the available temporary vacancies. It is assumed that temporarily employed individuals may transition into regular employment or self-employment. Furthermore, self-employed individuals contribute to generating temporary vacancies within the informal sector. The long-term behavior of the proposed system is analyzed using the qualitative theory of differential equations. A quantity known as the reproduction number of the system is derived, and it is found that the occurrence of multiple bifurcations for the proposed system is influenced by the value of this threshold quantity. Furthermore, we validate our analytical findings numerically. The findings of this study illustrate that an increase in the shifting rate of individuals from temporary to regular employment is not always effective in increasing the number of regularly employed individuals. Additionally, an increase in the transition of temporarily employed individuals into self-employment, coupled with their involvement in creating more temporary jobs, proves beneficial in reducing unemployment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While unemployment is a significant issue that has been extensively discussed in economic literature for decades, it is one of the key indicators that governments and firms consider. In fact, reducing unemployment in a country contributes to both increasing social welfare and economic welfare. Fluctuations in unemployment figures during the globalization process have led researchers to prioritize this issue. The objective of this study is to ascertain the impact of globalization on youth unemployment in Türkiye over the period 1988–2021, utilizing the augmented ARDL approach. The KOF Globalization Index, a frequently utilized indicator in the literature, is selected to represent globalization. However, the study is limited by the fact that the most recent data from the KOF index belongs to 2021, and the data on youth unemployment began in 1988. The limited number of studies on the relationship between globalization and youth unemployment in Türkiye constitutes the starting point of this study. The findings of the study indicate that an increase in globalization in the long run decreases youth unemployment in Türkiye. Furthermore, economic growth, inflation, and foreign direct investments also decrease youth unemployment, while an increase in urbanization increases youth unemployment. In addition, if a deviation occurs in the short run, approximately 85% of these deviations disappear in the first period and converge towards the long-run equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article criticizes the neoliberal policies that are usually applied to solve the various economic crises and problems of recent decades. It argues that such actions are not based on the economic reality, so they are not effective, nor do they focus on the ways in which they negatively affect different social groups--such as unemployment, increased inequality, and housing crises, since they are only conceived as collateral damage. This reflection is based on the economic policies applied to two current phenomena: the crisis caused by the covid-19 pandemic and inflation, which have highlighted the need for a more active government intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuel poverty was a significant problem during the cost‐of‐living crisis that started in 2021 as energy prices increased. Local authorities launched warm bank schemes around the United Kingdom to address this problem by providing warm spaces for residents to visit who could not heat their homes. This paper reports on an evaluation of the warm bank scheme launched by South Tyneside Council in winter 2022, locally known as Welcoming Places. Over 70 locations were opened around the borough. The evaluation consisted of two stages. In stage 1, we conducted semistructured interviews (n = 16) with residents who attended Welcoming Places and two focus groups with people running them (n = 9). In stage 2, we discussed the initial findings from stage 1 in a focus group with residents (n = 8). Three major themes are presented: "help and support with the cost‐of‐living crisis," "it's worth its weight in gold," and "capability and strength of Welcoming Places." This is one of the first evaluations of a warm bank scheme in England. We illustrate how the Welcoming Places in South Tyneside were used and experienced by residents. The scheme was valued by residents, provided significant support during the cost‐of‐living crisis, and had a positive impact on self‐reported mental health among participants. Warm bank schemes offer a practical, rapid public health response to the cost‐of‐living crisis for local authorities as well as improving residents' mental health and well‐being; however, holistic approaches must be taken to address the underlying causes of fuel poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breastfeeding is a crucial feeding practices that significantly contributes to the healthy development of children. However, the effect of breastfeeding duration on caries risk is unclear, as different studies have found different results. This study aims to assess the prevalence of dental caries and its association with breastfeeding duration among young children aged 12–36 months in selected health facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study among 380 children aged 12–36 months from 11 health centers in Addis Ababa was conducted. Questionnaires and dental examinations were used to collect data. Dental caries was measured by the deft (decayed–extracted–filled teeth) index. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between dental caries and duration of breastfeeding, after adjusting for the confounders. Results: The prevalence of dental caries was 53.4% (95% CI: 48.3, 58.5%), with 13.7% having high caries and 39.7% having low caries. Breastfeeding duration was not significantly associated with dental carries, after adjusting for confounders. However, sugar intake, older age, mothers' unemployment, and not being in marital union are risk factors for dental caries development. Conclusions: Promotion of healthy diet, especially limiting intake of sugar and sweets, and integration of oral health into primary health care programs are recommended. Further research using longitudinal design or meta-analysis is recommended to establish more concise evidence on the association between breastfeeding duration and dental caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug-involved individuals who contact treatment services in Taiwan are mostly driven by criminal justice systems either as an alternative or adjunct to criminal sanctions for a drug offence. With a focus on justice-involved young female drug users, the present study examines the extent to which socioeconomic and motherhood characteristics are associated with receiving deferred prosecution, a scheme diverting drug offenders to community-based addiction treatment. Methods: We identified a cohort of 5869 women under the age of 30 arrested for using Schedule II drugs (primarily amphetamine-like stimulants) from the 2011–2017 National Police Criminal Records in Taiwan. Information concerning socioeconomic characteristics, pregnancy and live birth history, and deferred prosecution was obtained through linkage with the 2006–2019 National Health Insurance, birth registration, and deferred prosecution datasets. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate the association with stratification by recidivism status. Results: Within six months of arrest, 21% of first-time offenders (n = 2645) received deferred prosecution and 23% received correction-based rehabilitation; the corresponding estimates for recidivists (n = 3224) were 6% and 15%, respectively. Among first-time offenders, low/unstable income was associated with lower odds of deferred prosecution (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.58, 0.88). For recidivists, those with low/unstable income (aOR = 1.58) or unemployment (aOR = 1.58) had higher odds of correction-based rehabilitation; being pregnant at arrest was linked with reduced odds of deferred prosecution (aOR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.71) and correction-based rehabilitation (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.32, 0.77). Conclusions: For the young women arrested for drug offences, disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions were generally unfavored by the diversion to treatment in the community. Childbearing upon arrest may lower not only the odds of receiving medical treatment but also correctional intervention. The criminal prosecution policy and process should be informed by female drug offenders' need for treatment and recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to determine the impact of remittances and nonlabor income on the duration of unemployment, and therefore on the hysteresis phenomenon in Colombia for the period between January 2010 and January 2021. The long-term unemployment rate in Colombia (LAPU) is calculated, and a vector autoregressive (VAR) model is subsequently estimated to evaluate the impact of remittances and nonlabor income on the LAPU. The results suggest that the increase in nonlabor income significantly affected LAPU in Colombia in the period analyzed. The growth of remittances instead turned out to positively and significantly impact LAPU only during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. This suggests that remittances have become a fundamental income in times of crisis that allow for financing the search for work for a longer period of time, thus increasing the duration of unemployment and generating a hysteresis effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently, the output-unemployment relationship (Okun's coefficient) was believed to follow two regimes, implying a uniform effect of expansionary fiscal policy on unemployment during economic booms and declines. However, research by Oh (2018) and Donayre (2022) introduced a three-regime approach, suggesting this relationship varies over different economic phases. Building on this, we propose a multinomial Okun's coefficient model using a gap model and quantile regression to estimate the coefficient at various unemployment levels. Our findings reveal that Okun's coefficient is significantly higher during severe recessions and lower at the onset of economic decline compared to the two-regime model. This indicates that the effectiveness of expansionary fiscal policy in reducing unemployment is limited when implemented at the start of a recession and is more effective during severe recessions, suggesting a need to re-evaluate the timing of such policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Young adults in Neither in Employment, Education nor Training (NEET) are at risk of adverse labour market outcomes. Earlier studies often measured NEET status at one time point or compared persistent NEETs with non-NEETs, neglecting other patterns of NEET status. Evidence on early life factors associated with NEET patterns is lacking. This study aims to (i) identify patterns of NEET status over time and (ii) examine whether factors in childhood and adolescence are associated with these patterns. Methods Data were used from 1499 participants of the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS), a Dutch prospective cohort study with 15-year follow-up. NEET status was assessed at ages 19, 22 and 26. Socioeconomic status of parents (SES), intelligence and negative life events were measured at age 11, educational attainment at age 26 and mental health problems at ages 11, 13.5 and 16. Data were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results Four NEET patterns were identified: (i) non-NEETs (85.2%), (ii) early NEETs (4.5%), (iii) late NEETs (5.7%) and (iv) persistent NEETs (4.5%). Reporting internalizing problems at age 11 was a risk factor for early and late NEETs [odds ratio (OR) 2.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–6.62; OR 5.00, 95% CI 2.22–11.3, respectively]. Low parental SES, lower intelligence scores and negative life events (≥3) were risk factors for persistent NEETs (OR 4.45, 95% CI 2.00–9.91; OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.98; OR 4.42, 95% CI 1.62–12.08, respectively). Conclusions The results highlight the importance of timing and duration of NEET status and emphasize the need for tailored interventions to prevent specific NEET patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Undesirable working conditions, insufficient professional development and other labour market pressures have significantly impacted the status of general practitioners (GPs). This study aimed to conduct a situational analysis of GPs in Iran using a forecasting approach until 2025. Methods: Data were collected concurrently through direct contact, data matching among databases and tracking among graduates from four clusters of medical science universities over the past decade. This retrospective longitudinal study determined the status of GPs over consecutive years. Multi-state Markov and binary logistic regression analyses were performed using R and Stata 14. Results: Of 430 graduates over the past decade, 94% were successfully identified. Only 20% of the graduates remained active as GPs. The greatest fluctuations in transfer occurred in the third year after graduation, with the remaining proportion of GPs dropping to less than 50%. The probability of remaining as GPs was 0.76 per year, while the highest transition was observed towards specialisation (0.12). Additionally, 2% of the GPs chose not to work, and less than 1% transitioned to a different specialty. Based on the transfer matrix for 2025, only 19% of the GPs were projected to remain, with the majority (59%) transitioning to specialisation. Conclusion: The transfer probability varies across different years, indicating higher flow rates among GPs. However, only a limited number of GPs are projected to remain until 2025. A comprehensive set of interventions should be considered, spanning the pre-medical stage, during education and after graduation, to mitigate the factors contributing to GPs leaving their profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frequent presenters (FPs) are a group of individuals who visit the hospital emergency department (ED) frequently for urgent care. Many among the group present with the main diagnosis of mental health conditions. This group of individual tend to use ED resources disproportionally and significantly affects overall healthcare outcomes. No previous reviews have examined the profiles of FPs with mental health conditions. Aims: This study aims to identify the key socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who frequently present to ED with a mental health primary diagnosis by performing a comprehensive systematic review of the existing literature. Method: PRISMA guideline was used. PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science (WOS) were searched in May 2023. A manual search on the reference list of included articles was conducted at the same time. Covidence was used to perform extraction and screening, which were completed independently by two authors. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined. Results: The abstracts of 3341 non-duplicate articles were screened, with 40 full texts assessed for eligibility. 20 studies were included from 2004 to 2022 conducted in 6 countries with a total patient number of 25,688 (52% male, 48% female, mean age 40.7 years old). 27% were unemployed, 20% married, 41% homeless, and 17% had tertiary or above education. 44% had a history of substance abuse or alcohol dependence. The top 3 diagnoses are found to be anxiety disorders (44%), depressive disorders (39%) schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (33%). Conclusion: On average, FPs are middle-aged and equally prevalent in both genders. Current data lacks representation for gender-diverse groups. They are significantly associated with high rates of unemployment, homelessness, lower than average education level, and being single. Anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and schizophrenia spectrum disorders are the most common clinical diagnoses associated with the group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: For accessing dental care in Canada, approximately 62% of the population has employment-based insurance, 6% have some publicly funded coverage, and 32% have to pay out-of pocket. Those with no insurance or public coverage find dental care more unaffordable compared to those with private insurance. To support the development of more comprehensive publicly funded dental care programs, it is important to understand the socio-demographic attributes of all those, who find dental care unaffordable. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the data collected from Ontarians during the latest available cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2017-18), a cross-sectional survey that collects information on health status, health care utilization, and health determinants for the Canadian population. First, bivariate analysis was conducted to determine the characteristics of Ontarians who lack dental insurance. Afterwards, we employed machine learning (ML) to analyze data and identify risk indicators for not having private dental insurance. Specifically, we trained several supervised ML models and utilized Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) to determine the relative feature importance for not having private dental insurance from the best ML model [the gradient boosting (GBM)]. Results: Approximately one-third of Ontarians do not have private insurance coverage for dental care. Individuals with an income below $20,000, those unemployed or working part-time, seniors aged above 70, and those unable to afford to have their own housing are more at risk of not having private dental insurance, leading to financial barriers in accessing dental care. Conclusion: In the future, government-funded programs can incorporate these identified risk indicators when determining eligible populations for publicly funded dental programs. Understanding these attributes is critical for developing targeted and effective interventions, ensuring equitable access to dental care for Canadians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 to identify group-based trajectories of unemployment risk as workers age in the United States. Our novel methodological approach reveals 73% of full-time workers spend much of their 20, 30, and 40 s with a relatively low risk of unemployment. The remaining sizable minority varies in the timing and relative degree of their unemployment risk. Eighteen percent experience early career unemployment risk into their early thirties, well after the transition to adulthood. Chronic unemployment characterizes the labor market experiences of the remaining 9%. When expanding the sample to all workers, we find two key differences: the overall prevalence of unemployment is greater each year for all groups and the distribution of respondents across groups differs, with fewer workers experiencing Lower unemployment and more workers experiencing Early Career or Higher unemployment. Unemployment risk is shaped by experiences of long-term unemployment in young adulthood and early labor market constraints. Moreover, while men and women appear equally at risk of Early career unemployment, men are particularly at risk of Higher unemployment. Black workers were significantly more likely to be at risk of Higher unemployment, but only slightly more likely to be at risk of Early career unemployment. Since Early career unemployment risk gives way to steadier work for most, this suggests that some men and some Black workers face disproportionately high levels of employment precarity. Our findings point to the importance of a life course approach for understanding the relationship between unemployment and labor market precarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses two books, "Political Conflict in Pakistan" and "India Is Broken," which examine the current state of affairs in India and Pakistan. Both countries are facing political and economic challenges, with deeply embedded social, economic, and political structures hindering progress. The book on Pakistan explores conflicts within society and politics, including the design of the state, the relationship with religion, the political elite's connection with subalterns, and sub-national tensions based on ethnic identity. The book on India focuses on the country's economic trajectory and the rise of majoritarian cultural nationalism. Both books provide critical analysis and raise important questions about the future of these nations. [Extracted from the article]

Autistic individuals often experience a wide range of barriers and challenges with employment across their lifetime. Despite their strengths and abilities to contribute to the workforce, many individuals experience unemployment, underemployment and malemployment. However, current supports and services are often inadequate to meet their needs. To allow autistic people to achieve vocational success, we explore four contributors to employment and expand upon the issues and potential solutions to each. These positions include the importance of family support and its consideration in the application of vocational support interventions, addressing transitional needs for autistic youth, building employer capacity, and conducting research that advises the development of meaningful programs and policies. By advocating for these positions, we aim to foster greater inclusivity and support for individuals with ASD in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary examines the transformation of vocational education in Türkiye, addressing its challenges, innovations, and impacts. Türkiye's system, including the Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School (MTAL) and the Vocational Training Center (MESEM), has historically faced difficulties due to policies like the "coefficient application," which restricted access to higher education for vocational graduates. Recent reforms, such as a revamped management model, industry collaboration, enhanced production processes, and integration of research and development (R&D) and intellectual property (IP) culture, have increased enrollment rates, improved education quality, and enabled rapid production of essential goods during crises. These changes have also advanced vocational training in the defense industry, attracting top-performing students. Consequently, these reforms have addressed vocational education challenges and contributed to societal improvements, including reduced youth unemployment and increased women's employment, positioning Türkiye as a model for vocational education globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroeconomic indicators are the basic indicators that reveal the economic performance of a country. Economic growth and unemployment status are among the most important macroeconomic indicators that show the economic performance of countries. While economic growth is among the priority targets of every country, unemployment is among the most significant problems faced by countries as it negatively affects individuals and the society economically, socially and psychologically. Denmark is a highly developed country with a high standard of living and well-being. Therefore, the aim of this study is to reveal the socio-economic performance of Denmark by examining the socio-economic structure with various macroeconomic indicators, and then to analyze empirically the relationship between unemployment and economic growth. In the study, which takes into account the period 1980-2021, Granger causality analysis was applied to test the causal relationship between the variables, and then regression analysis was performed with the least squares method. Empirical findings obtained from Granger causality analysis showed that there is a bidirectional causality relationship between unemployment and economic growth. Besides, according to the results obtained from the regression analysis performed with the least squares method, a 1% increase in economic growth in Denmark reduces unemployment by 6.32%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite innumerable government policies to reduce youth unemployment in Sub-Saharan Africa, the problem persists. This study examines the extent to which the hysteresis effect exists in the youth unemployment rate in Sub-Saharan African countries during the period 1991 to 2021, disaggregated according to territorial delineation, income, and gender. First, we employ the univariate and panel unit root tests including the Augmented-Dickey-Fuller, Phillips-Perron, the Dickey-FullerGeneralized Least Square by Elliott, Rothenberg, and Stock (1996), the ADFmax by Leybourne (1995), and the Kwiatkowski, et al. (1992) test, to enable comparison with previous studies. The Pesaran's (2007), test is then applied to account for cross-sectional dependence. Finally, the Zivot– Andrews single structural break by Zivot and Andrews (1992), Clemente–Montane–Reyes two structural breaks unit root tests by Clemente, Montañés, and Reyes (1998), as well as the KaraviasTzavalis panel unit root test with structural breaks by Karavias and Tzavalis (2014) are employed. The univariate unit root tests generally support the hysteresis hypothesis (within a band of 60% to 97%) for almost all countries, and sub-regions in SSA. However, accounting for structural breaks, the hysteresis effect in total youth unemployment is only visible in 19 countries (40%), with evidence of gender disparities pointing to the hysteresis effect in females only in 16 countries (34%), and, in males only in 10 countries (21.3%). The lower-middle-income countries reject the natural rate hypothesis in total and both male and female youth unemployment rates. While only male youths suffer from the hysteresis in low-income countries, the total youth in upper-middle-income countries shares this effect. Accounting for cross-section dependence alters the finding of the hysteresis effect only in males in Southern Africa and upper-middle-income countries. A one-size-fits-all policy may not work. Instead, we recommend an integral approach aimed at the creation of employment opportunities for youth and females, including but not limited to diversification of economic activities in rural areas to reduce urbanization, skills training, political and economic stability, cultural transformation to remove unnecessary gender-related employment discrimination, as well as improved economic integration policies. For countries found to exhibit the natural rate hypothesis, it may not be necessary to engage in costly policies to return the youth unemployment rate to equilibrium since the shock is only temporary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past two decades, Turkey has experienced a noteworthy increase in the establishment of universities and enrollment of students across various degree programs. However, this surge in higher education has been accompanied by a growing number of unemployed higher education graduates. To address this phenomenon, this research conducts a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between different levels of tertiary education, undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. (Doctorate) and unemployment. The study utilizes TurkStat's regional database, covering data from 26 provinces in Turkey spanning the years 2008 to 2021. Prior to delving into coefficient analysis, the Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) panel causality test was applied to identify the direction of potential causality and to establish an accurate model. The findings suggest a potential causal relationship running from being a higher education graduate, at all levels (bachelor's, master's, and PhD ), to unemployment rate. Subsequently, to further scrutinize this relationship in light of causality findings, the Panel Augmented Mean Group estimator (AMG) was employed. The results indicate that a 1% increase in the total number of Bachelor's degree graduates is associated with a 1.16% increase in unemployment rate. Based on these findings, it can be argued that, instead of further investing in higher education, a policy approach targeting middle-skilled jobs through advanced investment in vocational high schools may be more cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Integrated care is enhanced by integration on system, organizational, professional, and clinical levels including functional and normative integration. Many studies have been done on functional integration on these different levels, less studies focus on how normative integration takes place. In this study, we focus on the question: what differences in frames of refence must be addressed to establish consensus on appropriate care for People with Multiple Problems? Methods: A mixed-method Delphi study was carried out in which professionals and managers regularly involved in care for people with multiple problems (PWMPs) worked towards consensus on appropriate care delivery through the assessment of 15 vignettes representing real trajectories of PWMPs. Results: No consensus on appropriate care delivery was reached on any of the 15 vignettes. Five differences in perspective explained the dissensus: 1) an individual versus a systemic perspective on the client; 2) a focus on self-expressed needs of clients or professionally assessed (normative) needs; 3) client-directed or caregiver-directed care; 4) client as victim of circumstances or responsible for circumstances; 5) a focus on barriers or opportunities. Conclusions: In general, panelists agreed that care for PWMPs should be integrated. However, the further integrated care was to be operationalized in practice the greater the dissensus between panelists emerged. To understand how these differences in perspectives may be overcome to provide care for PWMPs normative integration needs to be studied during actual processes of care delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a causal map of social isolation among older people that incorporates feedback to inform systemwide interventions. For this study, conducted between September 2019 and November 2019, 19 Senior Activity Centres (SACs) were first contacted, of which 10 responded and 5 agreed to participate. Based on an in-depth qualitative interview with 21 older people (50 years and older) who frequently attended Senior Activity Centres (SACs) in Singapore, a series of causal maps were generated and synthesized to describe the complex dynamic mechanisms of social isolation. Using thematic analysis based on grounded theory, 13 feedback loops (outputs of a system routed back as inputs as part of a chain of causeand-effect) were elicited and categorized into 4 domains: (a) health and wellbeing, (b) income and unemployment, (c) relationships with family and friends, and (d) behavior and personality. These domains were found to be the most salient factors influencing social isolation. A qualitative mapping approach based on System Dynamics Methodology can provide a comprehensive understanding of the system-level factors of social isolation among older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migration to South Africa is motivated by the pursuit of employment, safety, and improved living conditions. However, immigrants encounter significant challenges, such as restricted access to essential services, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Malawian immigrants in South Africa, addressing the lack of attention given to this immigrant population by highlighting their vulnerabilities. Using a qualitative exploratory and descriptive approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 24 Malawi immigrants who were over 18 years old and had established residency in South Africa before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Five key stakeholders were also interviewed for additional perspectives and to ensure triangulation and improve data reliability. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis strategies and coding with Nvivo12 software. The study highlighted the exacerbated struggles of Malawian immigrants in South Africa amid the COVID-19 pandemic, uncovering systemic discrimination in healthcare, marked by longer wait times and reluctance from health workers to treat undocumented immigrants. The study also revealed a dire security situation, with immigrants living in high-crime areas and feeling particularly targeted due to their foreign status, a situation worsened by the pandemic's economic effects. Additionally, the economic downturn induced by COVID-19 significantly impacted employment opportunities, with many immigrants facing prolonged unemployment and job losses, especially in sectors where they traditionally found work. The detailed accounts of participants highlight not only the multifaceted challenges imposed by the pandemic but also the critical need for inclusive policies and support systems that ensure healthcare access, safety, and economic resilience for immigrants, particularly during global health emergencies. Future research should focus on effective interventions for socioeconomic integration and well-being, particularly for immigrants from other African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor self-rated health (SRH) is a well-established risk factor for premature employment exit through unemployment, work disability, and early retirement. However, it is unclear whether the premature employment exit risk associated with underlying cardio-metabolic health conditions is fully captured by poor SRH. This study examines the metabolic syndrome (MetS), an early-stage risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes mellitus, as a risk factor for premature employment exit while controlling for poor SRH. Methods: We analyzed data from N=55 016 Dutch workers (40-64 years) from five waves of the Lifelines Cohort Study and Biobank. MetS components were based on physical measures, blood markers, and medication use. SRH and employment states were self-reported. The associations between MetS, SRH, and premature employment exit types were analyzed using competing risk regression analysis. Results: During 4.3 years of follow-up, MetS remained an independent risk factor for unemployment [adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR): 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.25] and work disability (adjusted SHR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.58) when adjusted for poor SRH, common chronic diseases related to labor market participation (i.e., cancer, musculoskeletal-, pulmonary-, and psychiatric diseases), and sociodemographic factors. MetS was not associated with early retirement. Conclusions: Poor SRH did not fully capture the risk for unemployment and work disability associated with MetS. More awareness about MetS as a 'hidden' cardio-metabolic risk factor for premature employment exit is needed among workers, employers, and occupational health professionals. Regular health check-ups including MetS assessment and MetS prevention might help to prolong healthy working lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The risk of suicide is complex and often a result of multiple interacting factors. Understanding which groups of the population are most at risk of suicide is important to inform the development of targeted public health interventions. Methods: We used a novel linked dataset that combined the 2011 Census with the population-level mortality data in England and Wales. We fitted generalized linear models with a Poisson link function to estimate the rates of suicide across different sociodemographic groups and to identify which characteristics are independent predictors of suicide. Results: Overall, the highest rates of suicide were among men aged 40-50 years, individuals who reported having a disability or long-term health problem, those who were unemployed long term or never had worked, and those who were single or separated. After adjusting for other characteristics such as employment status, having a disability or long-term health problem, was still found to increase the incidence of suicide relative to those without impairment [incidence rate ratio minimally adjusted (women) = 3.5, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.3-3.6; fully adjusted (women) 3.1, 95% CI=3.0-3.3]. Additionally, while the absolute rate of suicide was lower in women compared with men, the relative risk in people reporting impairments compared with those who do not was higher in women compared with men. Conclusions: The findings of this work provide novel population-level insights into the risk of suicide by sociodemographic characteristics in England and Wales. Our results highlight several sociodemographic groups who may benefit from more targeted suicide prevention policies and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health and psychosocial support for Uyghurs living abroad need to be acknowledged as an important component of the humanitarian response. To formulate appropriate interventions for promoting mental health, a comprehensive understanding of identified problems is needed. However, several challenges - including language barriers, community perceptions of mental health, and mental health services - must be addressed. In this field report, we draw from our experiences of the Uyghur diaspora in relation to mental health to present the challenges which need to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a 2024 study on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's (SNAP) emergency support of children and low-income families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics covered include the critical levels of food insecurity in the U.S., and the factors of high living expenses and housing costs, unemployment, and low-wage jobs. Also noted is SNAP's critical role in mitigating food hardship, especially during economic crises.

This research aims to identify the factors that influence the perception of poverty in Bogota and Cundinamarca. For this we used data from the Multipurpose Survey in Colombia (2017) and estimated a binary response model using LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator). The empirical testing showed that high levels of schooling, sufficient income to cover minimum expenses, receiving rents, being a housewife, belonging to the special health regime or not receiving state aid or remittances, decreased the probability of feeling poor. Meanwhile, people were more likely to consider themselves poor if they presented at least one of the following conditions: they were unemployed, were disabled, belonged to the subsidized regime, had low levels of schooling, received help from another person or some institution, or their minimum expenses were not covered by their income. Therefore, to reduce the perception of poverty, public policies in Colombia should aim to create mechanisms that promote higher education and job stability, instead of increasing subsidies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]