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This study aimed to discover the prevalence of school nutrition state legislation and to identify the correlates of enactment. An online legislative database, Legiscan, was used to collect bills related to school nutrition from the US from 2010 to 2019. Bills were coded and compiled into a study database with state-level dietary variables (obesity prevalence, fruit, and vegetable intake, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption), community variables (percent White, poverty), and bill-characteristic variables (party affiliation in legislature, strength of language, party of governor, school gardens, vegetable intake, and other salient variables). Multivariable models were built to examine predictors of bill enactment. Of the 462 bills introduced, 38.7% (n = 156) were enacted. In a multivariable model, the strength of bill language, political party affiliation, implementation of school gardens, and vegetable intake were the variables associated with bill passage. Bills with strong language were less likely to be enacted (P <0.001). Bills introduced by Democrats were more likely to be enacted (P = 0.01). This study showed a better understanding of legislative support for child nutrition via policy surveillance of bills and their correlates of enactment. This information can be used to prioritize advocacy efforts and identify ways research can better inform policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigate the dynamics of low pay in Italy from 1990 to 2018 using a large sample of administrative data on private employees. • We find that the incidence of low pay is high and steeply increased in the last decades when the focus is on annual earnings and weekly wages. • A flat trend emerges when low pay is assessed according to FTE weekly wages, even if the share of low-paid workers remains high. • A major role in the low pay dynamics has been played by the reduction in the number of hours worked by low-paid individuals because of the increasing spread of part-time contracts. We investigate the dynamics of incidence, intensity and persistence of low pay in Italy from 1990 to 2018 by exploiting a large administrative sample of employees in the private sector. We refer to relative and absolute low pay thresholds and assess workers' conditions according to annual earnings, weekly wages and full-time-equivalent (FTE) weekly wages, to depurate low pay dynamics from the influence of changes in worked weeks and hours. Regardless of the chosen threshold, we find that the incidence of low pay is high and steeply increased in the last decades when the focus is on annual earnings and weekly wages. A flat trend emerges instead when low pay is assessed according to FTE weekly wages, signalling that a major role in the low pay dynamics is played by the reduction in the number of hours worked by low-paid individuals because of the increasing spread of part-time contracts. Nevertheless, the share of low-paid workers is rather high even when the focus is on FTE weekly wages. Furthermore, low pay is a persistent status for a large and rising share of workers. These findings reveal a clear worsening of workers' conditions at the bottom of the earnings distribution in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We construct a multidimensional poverty index for chinese counties. • We establish a staggered DID model that controls for selection bias. • Highways significantly reduce county poverty. • The poverty-reduction effect of highways is conditional. • The poverty-reduction effect of highways diminishes with increasing altitude. This paper establishes a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to estimate the impact of highways on regional poverty using county-level panel data from China. We construct a multidimensional poverty index and use satellite-monitored night light brightness as a proxy indicator. The results demonstrate that highways significantly reduce county poverty and that the poverty reduction effect becomes increasingly pronounced over time. This result remains robust after controlling for non-random highway route selection. Furthermore, the poverty reduction effect of highways is conditional, with a significant poverty reduction effect in the less economically-developed western regions and non-municipal counties, and no significant poverty reduction effect in the economically-developed eastern and central regions and municipal districts. Moreover, the poverty reduction effect of highways gradually decreases as the average altitude of counties increases. Our tests provide empirical evidence for effective road investments in developing countries that incorporate poverty alleviation targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The paper engages with the devastating consequences that the belated neoliberal reformation of the Greek welfare state – initiated after the 2009 economic crisis – had on income inequality and poverty. • It is argued that these reformations rely on the manner with which Greece has developed its relations within the global – mostly European – capitalist division of labor as a peripheral economy. Greece's economic affairs are approached as intimately conditioned by a multifaceted institutional structure of dependencies that outstrips its ability to exercise economic policy for its own interest. • Essentially built upon premises of a core-periphery dependency paradigm, the paper takes the view that since the onset of the 2008 global crisis, the EU anti-labor agenda is extended to country-members – such as Greece – which were long regarded as being poorly integrated or "lagged behind". The large-scale reformation of the Greek welfare state is exemplified and a novel interpretation of estimating the country's poverty level with attention paid to the ineffectiveness of the implemented reforms, is offered. • New estimation methods show the failure of neoliberal welfare policy in assisting even the most vulnerable members of the population, a process known as "targeting". This last part is further supported by genuine evidence drawn from several waves of microdata surveys (see Section 6) illustrating the uneven relation between Greece and the EU. • Three different measures of poverty and efficiency are presented based on original analyses of the official datasets, showing the extent of the overall income loss and the widening gap between Greece and the EU. The paper holds a critical view on EU austerity policies, with particular emphasis given to Greece. It is maintained that the main causes for the implementation of neoliberal reforms should be examined in the manner with which the Greek economy has developed in relation with the European capitalist division of labor as a peripheral economy. Greece is approached as intimately conditioned by a multifaceted institutional structure of dependencies that outstrips the country's ability to exercise economic policy for its own social interests. Essentially built upon the premises of a core-periphery dependency paradigm, the periodic post-war reconfigurations of the EU architectural design offered enough room to the formation of a stricter policy framework along these lines. By developing a set of differentiated indices on European poverty, the devastating consequences of the belated neoliberal reformation of the country's welfare state are highlighted. All calculations are based on microdata sets of EUSILC surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic triggered nationwide school closures in March 2020, putting millions of children in the United States who were reliant on subsidized school meals at risk of experiencing hunger. In response, the US Department of Agriculture mobilized the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option program to provide emergency free school meals. There is a need to investigate the effectiveness of these programs in covering underresourced communities during the pandemic. This study assessed associations between meal distribution and census tract demographics (ie, poverty level, race/ethnicity, and deprivation level based on social deprivation index score). An observational study using longitudinal meal distribution data collected over an 18-month period following school closures (March 2020 to August 2021). Monthly meal distribution data were collected for community sites serving 142 census tracts within 4 urban New Jersey cities predominantly populated by people with low incomes and from racial and ethnic minority groups. Main outcome measures were the number of meals served monthly by Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option meal sites. A 2-part multivariable regression approach was used to analyze the data. In the first step, logistic regression models showed that high-deprivation tracts were more likely to serve meals during the observed period (odds ratio 3.43, 95% CI 1.001 to 11.77; P = 0.0499). In the second step, among tracts that served any meals during the observed period, mixed effects negative binomial regression models showed that high-poverty and high-deprivation tracts served comparatively more meals (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 2.83, 95% CI 2.29 to 3.51; P < 0.001 and IRR 1.94, 95% CI 1.65 to 2.28; P < 0.001, respectively). Findings show that meal distribution during the pandemic was higher within census tracts with higher poverty and deprivation levels, indicating that underresourced communities with higher need had more free meals available during this unprecedented public health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the results of a technology-integrated intervention on sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and energy-dense snack intake with third graders experiencing low income. A 2 × 2 quasi-randomized cluster-block, parallel-group experimental research design. Low-income schools in Rhode Island. Two-hundred seventeen intervention and 242 control third-grade students in low-income (89.6% and 88.2% free/reduced meals, respectively), ethnically and racially diverse (63% Hispanic/20% Black and 62% Hispanic/18% Black, respectively) schools. A 13-week in-school program held once per week for 1 hour. The hands-on, technology-integrated program used a modified version of the Body Quest: Food of the Warrior curriculum. Intake of SSB and energy-dense snacks, both salty and sweet snacks, using baseline (week 1) and postassessment (week 13) previous day self-recall. Generalized mixed modeling with nesting. Intervention students significantly reduced their SSB intake by 38% (0.5 times/d; F[1, 540] = 4.26; P = 0.04) and salty snack intake by 58% (0.8 times/d; F[1, 534] = 6.58, P < 0.01) from baseline to postassessment as compared with the control students. Findings suggest a technology-integrated curriculum is effective in decreasing SSB and salty snacks in elementary-aged students of low-income, minoritized populations. Improved dietary habits can potentially influence other facets of students' lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical importance of adhering to the regimen in tuberculosis patients has been widely investigated, but most studies were conducted in controlled settings and in limited populations. We aimed to measure the level of real-world adherence during intensive phase and investigate the predictors and the risk of mortality and health outcomes of intensive phase non-adherence in tuberculosis patients. We conducted a nationwide cohort study by linking the Korean National Tuberculosis Surveillance System and the National Health Information Database. We included all incident drug-susceptible tuberculosis patients who initiated the regimens recommended by the World Health Organization from 2013 to 2018. Adherence was measured using the proportion of days covered (poor [<50%], moderate [50%–79%], and high [≥80%]). We used logistic regression model to assess predictors and the Cox proportional hazard model to evaluate the risk of mortality and health outcomes with intensive phase non-adherence. Of 46,818 patients, there were 8% and 11% with poor and moderate adherent groups, respectively. Age ≥45 years, insulin use, and history of renal failure were predictors of non-adherence. Compared with high adherent group, poor and moderate adherent groups were associated with a substantial risk of mortality (poor: hazard ratio, 2.14 [95% confidence interval, 1.95–2.34]; moderate: 1.76 [1.62–1.92]). Similar trends were observed for health outcomes. Stratified analyses showed a higher risk of mortality in patients with medical aid, low income, and history of renal failure, systematic corticosteroids, and immunomodulators. Non-adherence during intensive phase increased mortality risk by twofold, underscoring targeted intervention for high-risk population, including advanced diabetes, and immunocompromised patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is facing challenges to tackle the threat of climate change while reducing social inequality. Poverty eradication requires improvement in the living conditions of low-income households, which leads in turn to higher carbon footprints and may undermine the efforts of climate change mitigation. Previous studies have assessed the climate impacts of poverty eradication, but few have quantified how the additional carbon emissions of poverty eradication are shared at the subnational level in China and the impact on China's climate targets. We investigated the recent trend of carbon footprint inequality in China's provinces and estimated the climate burden of different poverty reduction schemes, measured by increased carbon emissions. The results indicate that poverty eradication will not impede the achievement of national climate targets, with an average annual household carbon footprint increase of 0.1%–1.2%. However, the carbon emissions growth in less developed provinces can be 4.0%, five times that in wealthy regions. Less developed regions suffer a greater climate burden because of poverty eradication, which may offset carbon reduction efforts. Therefore, interregional collaboration is needed to coordinate inequality reduction with investments in low-carbon trajectories in all provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a three-period gender-based Overlapping Generations (OLG) model of economic growth for Côte d'Ivoire in which life expectancy is endogenized and the rate of change of the poverty rate is linked to the growth rate of output per capita. We then calibrate the model using the country-specific calibration data to illustrate the role of public policies in the model, and its implications for long-term growth, gender equality, and poverty in Côte d'Ivoire. To this end, we discuss three sets of quantitative experiments: broad-based development policies (increase in education spending and infrastructure investment, and governance reform), gender-based policies (reduction in gender bias in the market place, increase in women's bargaining power, and reduction in family bias against girls' education), and a composite reform program (combination of pro-growth, pro-gender policies). Overall, our findings suggest that Côte d'Ivoire could achieve better growth and poverty outcomes if the country could implement a composite reform program that includes comprehensive development and gender-based policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Availability of benefits and expanded flexibilities to obtain formula, granted by the US Department of Agriculture shortly after the onset of infant formula shortage in February 2022, could have mitigated adverse experiences related to the shortage in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) families. To examine association of household WIC participation with formula shortage experiences and coping strategies adopted by families using Household Pulse Survey data. Cross-sectional. The current study utilized Phase 3.7 of the Household Pulse Survey with the following data collection periods: December 9 through 19, 2022, January 4 through 16, 2023, and February 1 through 13, 2023. The primary analytic sample (N = 1,542) consisted of households with income ≤185% of the federal poverty level and children younger than age 18 months. Experiences and coping strategies during the formula shortage. Logistic regression examined associations of WIC participation with odds of being affected by formula shortage and difficulty in obtaining formula during the past week. Among those affected by the shortage, association of WIC participation with odds of utilizing coping strategies was examined. No statistically significant differences were observed in the rates of being affected by formula shortage and having difficulty in obtaining formula during the past week between WIC participants and income-eligible nonparticipants. However, among those affected by the shortage, WIC participation was related to significantly lower odds of using suboptimal practices as a coping strategy (odds ratio 0.38, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.71; P = 0.003). WIC participants also had significantly higher odds of solely changing formula type, brand, or method of receipt (odds ratio 2.63, 95% CI 1.20 to 5.73; P = 0.02). Findings from this study suggest that WIC participants may have utilized more optimal coping strategies during the infant formula shortage compared with income-eligible nonparticipants. Additional research is needed to determine whether or not these findings could be attributed to expanded flexibilities to maximize formula access among WIC participants during the shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine whether prenatal or concurrent household food insecurity influences associations between maternal and toddler fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. Application of a life-course framework to an analysis of a longitudinal dataset. Early childhood obesity prevention program at a New York City public hospital. One-hundred and fifty-six maternal-toddler dyads self-identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Maternal and toddler FV intake was measured using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dietary measures when toddlers were aged 19 months. Household food insecurity (measured prenatally and concurrently at 19 months) was measured using the US Department of Agriculture Food Security Module. Regression analyses assessed associations between adequate maternal FV intake and toddler FV intake. Interaction terms tested whether prenatal or concurrent household food insecurity moderated this association. Adequate maternal FV intake was associated with increased toddler FV intake (B = 6.2 times/wk, 95% confidence interval, 2.0–10.5, P = 0.004). Prenatal household food insecurity was associated with decreased toddler FV intake (B = −6.3 times/wk, 95% confidence interval, −11.67 to −0.9, P = 0.02). There was a significant interaction between the level of maternal-toddler FV association (concordance or similarity in FV intake between mothers and toddlers) and the presence of food insecurity such that maternal-toddler FV association was greater when prenatal household food insecurity was not present (B = −11.6, P = 0.04). Strategies to increase FV intake across the life course could examine how the timing of household food insecurity may affect intergenerational maternal–child transmission of dietary practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the impact of household income on tuberculosis (TB) recurrence and the long-term impact of TB on household income. This was a retrospective nationwide cohort study of patients with drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) and TB recurrence. Using the South Korean national TB cohort database, we identified a sub-set cohort of patients with newly diagnosed drug-susceptible TB between 2013 and 2016 and tracked their TB recurrence and longitudinal income data from 2007 to 2018. Income levels were evaluated as 'Medical aid' and quintile categories. To assess risk factors associated with TB recurrence, we used a sub-distribution hazard model, adjusting for the competing risks of death. Of 66,690 patients successfully treated with DS-TB, 2095 (3.1 %) experienced recurrence during a median follow-up of 39 months. The incidence of TB recurrence was 982.1/100,000 person-years, with 50.3 % of the recurrences occurring within 1 year of treatment completion. The risk of TB recurrence increased with decreasing income levels, with the highest risk observed in the lowest income group. The effect of income on TB recurrence was prominent in males but not in females. Overall, patients with TB recurrence experienced a linear decline in income levels, compared with those without recurrence. Household income during the initial TB episode was an important risk factor for TB recurrence, particularly in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women living in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)-eligible households may be pregnant or breastfeeding. Stress during pregnancy and breastfeeding may influence women's mental health making them more vulnerable to higher rates of food insecurity (FI). Determine whether or not FI is associated with moderate-to-severe mental distress among women living in WIC-eligible households, and whether or not the strength of the association differs among WIC participants compared with eligible nonparticipants with low income. Cross-sectional data from the 2011-2018 National Health Interview Survey were utilized. A total of 7,700 women living in WIC-eligible households with at least one child were analyzed. Moderate-to-severe mental distress was measured using the validated K6 nonspecific psychological distress scale. FI was measured using the 10-item, US Adult Food Security Survey Module. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between FI and mental distress. The conditional effects of WIC participation were examined by including interaction terms for FI and WIC participation as well as by stratifying the sample by WIC participation. Among women in WIC-eligible households, FI was associated with moderate-to-severe mental distress in a dose-response fashion: compared with those who were food secure, the adjusted odds of moderate-to-severe mental distress were 1.8 times higher among those with marginal food security (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.83, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.23), 2.1 times higher among those with low food security (AOR 2.14, 95% CI 1.76 to 2.60), and 3.7 times higher among those with very low food security (AOR 3.73, 95% CI 2.95 to 4.71). The interaction between FI and WIC participation was not significant, with similar associations between FI and mental distress among WIC participants and nonparticipants. Among this nationally representative sample of women in WIC-eligible households, increasing severity of food insecurity was associated with poor mental health among WIC participants and nonparticipants. WIC participation was not observed to moderate the association between FI and mental distress. More research should consider including mental health screening at WIC clinic visits to enable early identification and referral for care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) among US adults is a public health concern because it has been associated with increased risks for adverse health outcomes such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In contrast, drinking plain water (such as tap, bottled, or unsweetened sparkling water) instead of drinking SSBs might provide health benefits by improving diet quality and helping prevent chronic diseases. However, there is limited information on estimated expenditures on SSBs or bottled water among US households. This study examined differences in SSB and bottled water purchasing according to household and geographic area characteristics and estimated costs spent on purchasing SSB and bottled water from retail stores among a nationally representative sample of US households. This study is a secondary analysis of the 2015 Circana (formerly Information Resources Inc) Consumer Network Panel data, which were merged with the US Department of Agriculture nutrition data using the US Department of Agriculture Purchase-to-Plate Crosswalk-2015 dataset (the latest available version of the Purchase-to-Plate Crosswalk at the time the study began), and the Child Opportunity Index 2.0 data. A total of 63,610 households, representative of the contiguous US population, consistently provided food and beverage purchase scanner data from retail stores throughout 2015. The included demographic and socioeconomic variables were household head's age, marital status, highest education level, race and ethnicity of the primary shopper in the household, family income relative to the federal poverty level, and presence of children in the household. In addition, descriptors of households' residential areas were included, such as the county-level poverty prevalence, urbanization, census region, and census tract level Child Opportunity Index. Annual per capita spending on SSB and bottled water and daily per capita SSB calories purchased. Unadjusted and multivariable adjusted mean values of the main outcome measures were compared by household demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic characteristics using linear regression analysis including Circana's household projection factors. Nearly all households reported purchasing SSBs at least once during 2015 and spent on average $47 (interquartile range = $20) per person per year on SSBs, which corresponded to 211 kcal (interquartile range = 125 kcal) of SSBs per person per day. About seven in 10 households reported purchasing bottled water at least once during 2015 and spent $11 (interquartile range = $5) per person on bottled water per year. Both annual per capita SSB and bottled water spending, and daily per capita SSB calories purchased was highest for households whose heads were between 40 and 59 years of age, had low household income, or lived in poor counties, or counties with a low Child Opportunity Index. Annual per capita spending was also higher for households with never married/widowed/divorced head, or at least 1 non-Hispanic Black head, and households without children, or those living in the South. Daily per capita SSB calorie purchases were highest for households where at least 1 head had less than a high school degree, households with at least 1 Hispanic or married head, and households with children or those living in the Midwest. These findings suggest that households that had lower socioeconomic status had higher annual per capita spending on SSBs and bottled water and higher daily per capita total SSB calories purchased than households with higher socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Myopic behavior constrains decision-making, causing fewer investments in the future. • Poverty increases myopic behavior via stress and other socio-emotional factors. • These then lead to higher discount rates, lower cognitive abilities, and lower self-esteem. • We evaluate Mali's randomized cash transfer program, an exogenous shock to income. • Transfers lower stress and discount rates, and increase self-esteem and investments. Stress and cognitive burden associated with poverty constrain decision- making regarding investments in the future, which can in turn perpetuate poverty. We exploit the randomized roll-out of Mali's national cash transfer program to estimate its impact on measures of psychological and emotional well-being, time preferences, and cognitive function among households' primary decision-makers. We find that receiving transfers reduced decision-makers' self-reported stress and worry, as well as improved their self-esteem. The program did not affect measures of cognitive function but led to a modest increase in a measure of patience. Consistent with reduced stress, improved self-esteem, and increased patience, the program also increased investments in productive assets. Results suggest that, in addition to cash transfers providing the economic resources to support investments in the future, they may also build psycho-social well-being for supporting these investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Parenting profiles characterized as Child-Oriented, Moderately Child-Oriented, Harsh-Intrusive, and Withdrawn were observed longitudinally at child ages 2½ and 3½ years in a sample of African American mothers and their children living in poverty. • Stability of parenting profile membership was moderately stable, with 41% classified similarly across the two ages. • The Moderately Child-Oriented profile was least stable, with only 24% stably classified; 49-52% of each of the other groups were classified similarly at Time 2. • Changes from Harsh-Intrusive to Withdrawn profiles, or vice versa, were very rare. • Time 2 membership in the least stable Moderately Child-Oriented group was predicted by more cumulative risks. Taking a person-centered approach, this study examined stability and change in profiles of parenting qualities observed at two times in early childhood in a sample of 146 mothers of African American children living in households experiencing poverty. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) of six qualities of parenting rated from mother-child interactions at ages 2.5 and 3.6 years revealed four distinct parenting profiles characterized as Child-Oriented, Moderately Child-Oriented, Harsh-Intrusive, and Withdrawn at each age. Profile membership was fairly stable, with 41% classified similarly at both times. Moderately Child-Oriented was the least stable, with 24% of this group similarly classified at Time 2; 49-52% of each of the other three groups were classified similarly the second time, indicating their greater stability. Changes from Harsh-Intrusive to Withdrawn profiles or vice versa were rare (n = 3). To further address profile stability, Time 2 profile posterior probabilities were predicted in multiple regression models from Time 1 parenting profiles, with the child-oriented profile as reference group, Time 2 child externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, and cumulative risk. Results indicated Time 2 Withdrawn and Harsh-Intrusive profiles were significantly associated with Time 1 membership in their analogous profile but not with other Time 1 profiles, providing further evidence for stability and distinctiveness of these profiles. Only the Moderately Child-Oriented profile was associated with greater cumulative risk at Time 2; it was not related to any of the Time 1 profiles. In addition, Withdrawn profile membership at Time 2 was associated with greater child internalizing and fewer externalizing problems. The Time 2 Child-Oriented profile was associated with less probability of membership in the Withdrawn or Harsh-Intrusive profiles at Time 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is the primary national program that enables child-care settings to provide healthy meals for children. Associations between Child and Adult Care Food Program participation and child health and development and health care utilization are understudied. To assess associations between children's health, development, health care utilization and food security by meal source (child-care–provided vs parent-provided) among children from low-income families with a child care subsidy attending child-care in settings likely eligible to participate in Child and Adult Care Food Programs. The study used repeat cross-sectional surveys (new sample at successive time points) conducted year-round. Primary caregivers of 3,084 young children accessing emergency departments or primary care in Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Little Rock, AR; Minneapolis, MN; and Philadelphia, PA, were interviewed between 2010 and 2020. The sample was limited to children aged 13 to 48 months, receiving a child care subsidy and attending child-care centers or family child-care homes ≥20 hours per week. Outcomes included household and child food security; child health, growth, and developmental risk; and admission to the hospital on the day of the emergency department visit. Meal source and participant characteristics were analyzed using χ2 tests; associations of outcomes with parent-provided meals were analyzed with adjusted logistic regression. The majority of children had child-care–provided meals (87.2% child-care–provided vs 12.8% parent-provided). Compared with children with parent-provided meals, children with child-care–provided meals had lower adjusted odds of living in a food-insecure household (adjusted odds ratio 0.70, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.88), being in fair or poor health (adjusted odds ratio 0.61, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.81), or hospital admission from the emergency department (adjusted odds ratio 0.59, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.83), with no differences in growth or developmental risk. Compared with meals provided from home, child-care–provided meals likely supported by the Child and Adult Care Food Program are related to food security, early childhood health, and reduced hospital admissions from an emergency department among low-income families with young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low early-life absolute and relative socioeconomic status (SES) may contribute to socioeconomic disparities in pregnancy complications (i.e., gestational diabetes mellitus [GDM], preeclampsia/eclampsia [PE], hypertensive disorders of pregnancy [HDP; preeclampsia/eclampsia, gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension]), but their independent associations with pregnancy complications have not been studied. This study investigated associations of early-life poverty and relative SES with risks of GDM, PE, and HDP. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health data were used (GDM n = 802; PE n = 813; HDP n = 801). Objective poverty was defined as wave I low-income or receipt of federal nutrition assistance benefits. Relative SES was self-reported at wave V (ages 33–39) by asking whether the participant's family was financially worse off than average when growing up. Logistic regressions assessed relationships between poverty, relative SES, and self-reported lifetime diagnoses of GDM, PE, or HDP. Lifetime prevalences of GDM, PE, and HDP were 9.23%, 12.00%, and 21.93%, respectively. Low relative SES (odds ratio: 2.04 [1.07, 3.89]) and poverty (odds ratio: 1.81 [0.97, 3.38]) were independently associated with GDM but not with PE or HDP. Early-life poverty and relative SES are associated with GDM; understanding the mechanisms underlying these associations may help identify novel intervention targets to reduce socioeconomic disparities in GDM. • Family poverty during adolescence is associated with the risk of later GDM. • Low, but not high, relative SES when growing up is associated with later GDM risk. • Neither early-life family poverty nor relative SES are associated with PE or HDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The great recession affected differently disabled and not disabled individuals. • Income inequality increased for non-disabled persons, while decreased for disabled. • The loss of income for disabled people was along the entire income distribution. • The great recession doubled the risk of poverty trap for severely disabled people. • In the long run, the disability risk is lower for higher-income people (feedback effect). We investigate how disability affects income distribution and how this has evolved in Europe, using 2005–2008 and 2015–2018 European Union Statistics for Income and Living Conditions data. We model both income and disability processes in a dynamic way, allowing for the possible role of past income in determining disability. Our findings suggest the decade explored has been characterized by a slight strengthening of income polarization and lower income mobility. However, income inequality evolved differently by disability group: it increased for non-disabled, and decreased for people with severe disabilities and their households. For this latter, our results suggest this evolution can be explained by a worsening of overall income conditions, with greater persistence in poverty, lower persistence in richness, and a higher probability of moving from high to low-income positions. In this respect, increasing social expenditure for disability may be important for the mitigation of such detrimental effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories make contrasting predictions about whether adverse experiences and low socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with accelerated or delayed neurodevelopment. Existing evidence is more consistent with low SES predicting delayed rather than accelerated brain development. However, no existing model fully captures observed differences between low- and high-SES adolescence. Low SES and other adverse environments are likely associated with brain developmental trajectories that differ in multiple ways considering the available evidence. We suggest that low SES is associated with brain maturation patterns characterized by lower volume and slower rates of change throughout development. Longitudinal research, especially in the early years, is needed to rigorously test how adversity and SES are associated with deviations from typical developmental trajectories. Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with children's brain and behavioral development. Several theories propose that early experiences of adversity or low SES can alter the pace of neurodevelopment during childhood and adolescence. These theories make contrasting predictions about whether adverse experiences and low SES are associated with accelerated or delayed neurodevelopment. We contextualize these predictions within the context of normative development of cortical and subcortical structure and review existing evidence on SES and structural brain development to adjudicate between competing hypotheses. Although none of these theories are fully consistent with observed SES-related differences in brain development, existing evidence suggests that low SES is associated with brain structure trajectories more consistent with a delayed or simply different developmental pattern than an acceleration in neurodevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assess the quality of free, commercially available infant-feeding mobile applications (apps) and their appropriateness for audiences with low income and of racial and ethnic diversity using the App Quality Evaluation tool. Researchers selected apps using an iterative process (n = 6). Health professionals (n = 10) who work with mothers with infants and low income who completed the App Quality Evaluation tool for each app, consisting of 7 domains of app quality. Average domain scores were calculated for each app (> 8 indicates high quality). Evaluators highly rated app function and purpose for WebMD Baby (8.0 ± 1.8 and 8.2 ± 0.9, respectively) and Baby Center (8.0 ± 2.1 and 8.0 ± 2.6, respectively). For other apps, no domains were highly rated. No apps were rated highly for appropriateness (range 5.7–7.7) nor provided high-quality infant-feeding information for mothers with low income. Few apps were rated highly appropriate for mothers who are Black or Hispanic. Commercially available infant-feeding apps are of limited quality, indicating the need to develop high-quality apps for audiences with low income and Black and Hispanic identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate consumption of fruits and vegetables (FV) can negatively impact health. Cost-offset, or subsidized, community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) may change FV preparation behaviors among caregivers in low-income households. We assessed changes in FV preparation frequency and methods during and after participation in a CO-CSA plus tailored nutrition education intervention. Longitudinal comparison of outcomes at baseline, end of CO-CSA season, and 1 year later. Caregivers of children aged 2–12 years from households with low income in rural areas of 4 US states (n = 148). Summer season, half-price CO-CSA share plus tailored nutrition education classes. Comparison to a control group not included in this analysis. Monthly frequency of preparing 9 FV for children's snacks and 5 vegetables for dinner; use of healthy preparation methods for dinner. Repeated measures ANCOVA including state with Bonferroni correction and 95% confidence. At baseline, caregivers prepared fruit for children's snacks and vegetables for dinner almost daily and vegetables for children's snacks every other day. The frequency of total FV preparation and most vegetable varieties increased during the intervention. Increases in total vegetables for snacks, dinner, and leafy greens were maintained 1 year later (n = 107). Community-supported agriculture plus education is a promising approach to sustained increases in vegetable preparation for children's snacks and dinner meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examine beverage intake among families with low income by household participation in federal food assistance programs. Cross-sectional study conducted in fall/winter 2020 via an online survey. Mothers of young children insured by Medicaid at the time of the child's birth (N = 493). Mothers reported household federal food assistance program participation, later categorized as Supplementation Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) only, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP) only, both WIC and SNAP, and neither. Mothers reported beverage intake for themselves and their children aged 1–4 years. Negative binomial and ordinal logistic regression. After accounting for sociodemographic differences between groups, mothers from households participating in WIC and SNAP consumed sugar-sweetened beverages (incidence rate ratio, 1.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14–2.30; P = 0.007) and bottled water (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.05–2.96; P = 0.03) more frequently than mothers from households in neither program. Children from households participating in WIC and SNAP also consumed soda (incidence rate ratio, 6.07; 95% CI, 1.80–20.45; P = 0.004) more frequently than children in either program. Few differences in intake were observed for mothers or children participating in only WIC or SNAP vs both programs or neither program. Households participating in both WIC and SNAP may benefit from additional policy and programmatic interventions to limit sugar-sweetened beverage intake and reduce spending on bottled water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the relationship between vaccination coverage and booster coverage against COVID-19, socio-economic indicators, and healthcare structure in Brazil. This is a nationwide population-based ecological study. We have obtained data on COVID-19 vaccination for each Brazilian state until December 22, 2022. Our outcomes of interest were primary and booster vaccination coverage. The independent variables included: human development index (HDI); Gini index; population density; unemployment rate; percentage of the population covered by primary health care (PHC); percentage of the population covered by community health workers; number of family health teams; and number of public health establishments. Statistics were performed by using a multivariable linear regression model. Lower rates of primary vaccination coverage were found in states with lower HDI (P = 0.048), population covered by PHC (P = 0.006), and number of public health establishments (P = 0.004). Lower rates of booster coverage were also found in states with lower population density (first booster: P = 0.004; second booster: P = 0.022), PHC (first booster: P = 0.033; second booster: P = 0.042), and public health establishments (first booster: P < 0.001; second booster: P = 0.027). Our findings showed heterogeneity in access to vaccination against COVID-19 in Brazil, with lower vaccination coverage in localities with the worst socio-economic indicators and limited healthcare resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The socioemotional climate when feeding is a focus in childhood obesity prevention efforts. However, little is known about why caregivers create nonsupportive or supportive climates. This cross-sectional study used a Self-Determination Theory perspective to identify factors associated with the socioemotional climate when feeding in ethnically diverse families with low income. Caregivers of children aged 2–5 years (n = 66) completed the Parent Socioemotional Context of Feeding Questionnaire, the Basic Psychological Need (BPN) Satisfaction and Frustration Scale, and demographic surveys at baseline. Multivariable regressions assessed the association between BPN satisfaction/frustration with autonomy-supportive, structured, controlling, and chaotic feeding climates. Participants were predominately Hispanic/Latinx (86.6%), women (92.5%), and born outside the US (60%). Their BPN frustration was positively associated with controlling (β = 0.96; SE = 0.26; P = 0.001) and chaotic (β = 0.79; SE = 0.27; P = 0.01) feeding. This analysis suggests that BPN frustration is associated with controlling and chaotic feeding and may be important to consider when encouraging responsive feeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black Americans encounter more barriers in the job market and earn less than White Americans. However, the extent to which racial disparities in employment and poverty histories impact health is not fully understood. This study characterized employment‒poverty histories for Black and White middle-aged adults and examined their association with health. Respondents born in 1948–1953 and enrolled in the 2004 Health and Retirement Study (N B l a c k =555, N W h i t e =2,209) were included. Sequence analysis grouped respondents with similar employment‒poverty trajectories from 2004 to 2016, and confounder-adjusted regression analyses estimated the associations between these trajectories and health in 2018. Analyses were conducted in 2021–2022. More than 23% of Black respondents experienced both employment and poverty fluctuations, including bouts of extreme poverty (<50% of the federal poverty threshold), whereas no trajectory for White respondents included extreme poverty. Adversities in employment‒poverty were associated with worse health. For example, among Black respondents, those who experienced both employment and poverty fluctuations had worse cognition than those employed and not poor (β= –0.55 standardized units, 95% CI= –0.81, –0.30). Similarly, among White respondents, those who experienced employment fluctuations had worse cognition than those employed (β= –0.35, 95% CI= –0.46, –0.24). Notably, the employed and not poor trajectory was associated with worse survival among Black respondents than among White respondents. Employment fluctuations were associated with worse health, especially cognitive function, where the association was stronger among Black Americans who experienced both employment fluctuations and poverty. Findings highlight the importance of enhancing employment stability and of antipoverty programs, especially for Black Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the dietary behaviors of mothers from very low food security (VLFS) households following the availability of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) unemployment and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Diet and food security status were obtained from 2,584 California mothers during Federal Fiscal Year 2020. Fruits, vegetables, and 100% fruit juice (FV100%FJ), sugar-sweetened beverages, and water intake, and Healthy Eating Index-2015 scores, were compared across 4 groups (before vs after COVID-19 benefits by VLFS vs non-VLFS households) with race/ethnicity and age as covariates. Before COVID-19 benefits, VLFS was associated with fewer cups of FV100%FJ (P = 0.010), more fluid ounces of sugar-sweetened beverages (P = 0.004), and poorer diet quality (P = 0.003). After COVID-19 benefits, mothers from VLFS vs non-VLFS households reported similar dietary outcomes. VLFS mothers reported 0.96 (95% confidence interval, 0.53–1.38) more cups of FV100%FJ after COVID-19 benefits. Coronavirus disease 2019 benefits may have reduced dietary inequities among low-income families. Associations between increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and unemployment benefits and decreased costs associated with the negative health outcomes linked to food insecurity and poor diets would be of value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recessions, poverty, and unemployment have been associated with opioid use. However, these measures of financial hardship may be imprecise, limiting our ability to understand this relationship. We tested associations between relative deprivation and non-medical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) and heroin use among working-age adults (ages 18–64) during the Great Recession. Our sample included working-age adults in the 2005–2013 United States National Survey of Drug Use and Health (n = 320,186). Relative deprivation compared the lowest limit of participants' income category to the national 25th percentile individual income for people with similar socio-demographic characteristics (race and ethnicity, gender, year). We distinguished the period before (1/2005-11/2007), during (12/2007-06/2009), and after (07/2007-12/2013) the Great Recession. We estimated odds of past-year NMPOU and heroin use for each past-year exposure (i.e., relative deprivation, poverty, unemployment) using separate logistic regressions adjusting for individual-level covariates (gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, and education) and national-level annual Gini coefficient. Our results show that NMPOU was higher among people experiencing relative deprivation (aOR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.06–1.20), poverty (aOR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.16–1.29), and unemployment (aOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.32–1.53) between 2005 and 2013, as was heroin use (aORs = 2.54, 2.09, 3.55, respectively). The association between relative deprivation and NMPOU was modified by recession timing, and was significantly higher after the Recession (aOR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.11–1.33). Relative deprivation was associated with higher odds of NMPOU and heroin use, and higher odds of NMPOU after the Great Recession. Our findings suggest contextual-level factors may modify the relationship between relative deprivation and opioid use, and support the need for new measures of financial hardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School gardening programs have consistently been found to improve dietary behaviors in children. Although several quasi-experimental studies have also reported that school gardens can enhance academic performance, to date, no randomized controlled trial has been conducted to substantiate this. The objective of the study was to examine the effects of Texas Sprouts (TX Sprouts), a gardening, nutrition, and cooking program vs control on academic performance in primarily low-income, Hispanic children. This is a secondary analysis of the grade-level academic scores from schools that participated in the TX Sprouts program, a school-based cluster randomized controlled trial, consisting of 16 elementary schools that were randomly assigned to either the TX Sprouts intervention (n = 8 schools) or control (delayed intervention; n = 8 schools). Analysis included 16 schools with students in fourth and fifth grade in Austin, TX from 2016 to 2019 that had a majority Hispanic population and a majority of children participating in the free and reduced lunch program. The intervention consisted of 18 one-hour gardening, nutrition, and cooking lessons taught in an outdoor teaching garden by trained educators throughout the academic year. Texas Education Agency grade-level data for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness were obtained via the Texas Education Agency website for the corresponding year of the intervention or control condition. Repeated measures general linear models with pre- and post-intervention State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness scores as the dependent variable were run, adjusting for the percent of free and reduced lunch and school district as covariates. Schools that received the TX Sprouts intervention had a 6.5-percentage-point increase in fourth-grade reading State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness scores compared with control schools (P =.047). There were no significant differences in reading scores for fifth grade students or math scores for either fourth- or fifth-grade students between groups. Study findings provide evidence that school gardening programs may have some modest effects on academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to (1) encourage allocation of governmental and grant funds to the administration of local area health surveys and (2) illustrate the predictive impact of socio-economic resources on adult health status at the local area level to provide an example of how health surveys can identify residents with the greatest health needs. Randomly sampled and weight-adjusted regional household health survey (7501 respondents) analyzed with categorical bivariate and multivariate statistics, combined with Census data. Survey sample consists of the lowest, highest, and near highest ranked counties in the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps for Pennsylvania. Socio-economic status (SES) is measured regionally with Census data consisting of seven indicators and individually with Health Survey data consisting of five indicators based on poverty level, overall household income, and education. Both of these composite measures are examined jointly for their predictive effects on a validated health status measure using binary logistic regression. Once county-level measures of SES and health status are broken down into smaller areas, better identification of pockets of health need is possible. This was most strongly revealed in an urban county, Philadelphia, which is ranked lowest of 67 counties on health measures in the state of Pennsylvania, yet when broken down into 'neighborhood clusters' contained both the highest- and lowest-ranked local area in a five-county region. Overall, regardless of the SES level of the County subdivision one lives in, a low-SES adult has close to six times greater odds of reporting 'fair or poor health status' than does a high-SES adult. Local health survey analysis can lead to a more precise identification of health needs than surveys attempting to cover broad areas. Low-SES communities within counties, and low-SES individuals, regardless of the community they live in, are substantially more likely to experience fair to poor health. This adds urgency to the need to implement and investigate socio-economic interventions, which can hopefully improve health and save healthcare costs. Novel local area research can identify the impact of intervening variables such as race in addition to SES to add more specificity in identifying populations with the greatest health needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Area-based deprivation indices are used in many countries to target interventions and policies to populations with the greatest needs. Analyses of the Carstairs deprivation index applied to postcode sectors in 2001 identified that less than half of all deprived individuals lived in the most deprived areas. This article examines the specificity and sensitivity of deprivation indices across Great Britain in identifying individuals claiming income- and employment-related social security benefits. This was a descriptive analysis of cross-sectional administrative data. The data sets for the 2020 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, Scottish Income and Employment Index, the 2019 English Index of Multiple Deprivation and the 2019 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation were obtained. For each data set, small areas were ranked by increasing overall deprivation, and the cumulative proportions of individuals who were income and employment deprived were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted to show the sensitivity and specificity of each index, and the percentages of income- and employment-deprived individuals captured at different overall deprivation thresholds were calculated. Across all indices, the sensitivity and specificity for detecting income- and employment-deprived individuals were low, with less than half living in the most deprived 20% of areas. Between 55% and 62% of income-deprived people and between 56% and 63% of employment-deprived people were missed across the indices at the 20% deprivation threshold. The sensitivity and specificity were slightly higher for income deprivation than employment deprivation across indices and slightly higher for the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation and Scottish Income and Employment Index than for the English Index of Multiple Deprivation and Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. Area-based deprivation measures in Great Britain have limited sensitivity and specificity for identifying individuals who are income or employment deprived. Place-based policies and interventions are unlikely to be effective at reducing inequalities as a result. Creation of individually linked data sets and interventions that recognise the social and economic relationships between social groups are likely to be more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) is gaining prominence among ecologists because it can help inform ecosystem management. Yet, sometimes TEK is maintained not because of positive values about the environment, but because of poverty and a lack of options. We discuss this conundrum and present hypotheses for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even in the modern era with increasing globalization and technological innovation, the issue of energy poverty is still debatable in many parts of the world. Unlike developed countries, developing countries struggle to satisfy the growing energy demand. To evaluate the role of financial inclusion and its impact on energy poverty in six representative emerging economies including Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Russia from 2004 to 2019, this paper examines the role of the composite risk index (a combination of political, economic, and financial risk), investment in energy with public-private participation, gross domestic product, human capital, globalization, and renewable energy. This study first constructed a multidimensional index to measure the weighted average energy poverty and composite energy poverty index along with a novel index for financial inclusion. Moreover, this study uses novel panel data approaches such as Westerlund's cointegration and cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lags model (CS-ARDL). The study established long-run cointegrating relationship between energy poverty and its detereminants, i.e., financial inclusion, globalization, investment in energy, human capital index, income and composite risk index. The empirical results found that financial inclusion, renewable energy electricity, globalisation, income, human capital index and energy investment are the key determinants of energy poverty in emerging economies. Furthermore, financial inclusion is found to curb energy poverty. Human capital index and globalization also help to reduce energy poverty. Given the empirical results of the nexus and impacts of financial inclusion on energy poverty using the multidimensional proxies, the study provides critical implications to researchers and policymakers in mitigating the consequences of energy poverty and the development of financial systems and their co-movement with energy poverty-related issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented socioeconomic and health impacts in the U.S. This study examined racial/ethnic and school poverty status differences in the relationship between parent job loss, experiences with hunger, and indicators of mental health problems among public high-school students nationwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The study analyzed data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey, conducted in January-June 2021. The Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey was a 1-time, cross-sectional, online survey that used a stratified, 3-stage cluster sample to obtain a nationally representative sample of high-school students in the U.S. This study was limited to public-school students (n=7,379).Results: Among public high-school students nationwide, 36.9% experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, and during the past year, 43.9% experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, 19.8% seriously considered attempting suicide, and 9.1% attempted suicide. Parent job loss and having gone hungry were associated with indicators of mental health problems overall and across racial/ethnic groups and school poverty status levels.Conclusions: Students who experience parent job loss and hunger are likely to also experience poor mental health and may be at higher risk for suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the number, distribution, and predictors of food pantries across counties in the US in 2020. A cross-sectional, secondary data analysis of geocoded food pantry locations and social, demographic, and economic characteristics at the county level. Publicly disclosed food pantry locations were collected from websites in all counties. Pantry locations were merged with data from the American Community Survey 2015–2019. The number of food pantries per county. A negative binomial regression estimated the association between the number of pantries per county and community characteristics. We found 48,581 food pantries from publicly disclosed websites, covering 98% of counties. The mean and median number of pantries per county were 15.5 and 6, respectively. Selected characteristics positively associated with the number of pantries per county were income inequality, percentage of noncitizens, and percentage of single-parent households. Selected characteristics negatively associated with the number of pantries per county were percent with a high school education or less, percent of households in poverty, and rurality. The US has an extensive network of food pantries. Future work could assess the potential causal pathways between pantry placement and county-level characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine how food retailers completing Shop Healthy NYC , a healthy food retail program, (1) changed availability, placement, and promotion of healthier food immediately after participation and (2) sustained changes 1-year postintervention. From 2014 to 2017, stores in 2 high-poverty New York City neighborhoods participated in a low-intensity intervention focused on in-store advertising or a high-intensity intervention to meet 7 criteria related to availability, placement, and promotion of healthy items. Stores were assessed preintervention (Pre), 1-month postintervention (Post 1), and 12–16 months postintervention (Post 2). Analyses were restricted to stores that completed the intervention and were assessed at all time points (n = 64). Changes were compared across time points. Across stores participating in the low-intensity intervention, the ratio of unhealthy-to-healthy ads decreased from Pre to Post 1, and by Post 2 remained improved over baseline. Among stores participating in the high-intensity intervention, the median number of healthy criteria met increased from 3.5 to 6 from Pre to Post 1 and decreased to 5 at Post 2. Improvements in the marketing and availability, placement, and promotion of healthy products are feasible but may require reinforcement and additional support over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most poverty measures in the literature depend on the three components of poverty, incidence, intensity and inequality among the poor. However, the implication of each component on the final poverty measure is something that has not been studied. It has been shown that families of parameter-dependent poverty indices can be more or less sensitive to transfers among the poor, depending on the value of the parameter taken. This value will affect the sensitivity of the family of measures to the inequality among the poor. In this paper we intend to carry out an analogous study for the three components of poverty. We provide three poverty rankings of some poverty measures according to their sensitivity to incidence, intensity and inequality. In fact, we offer orderings for all the rank-dependent poverty measures and two families of rank-independent poverty measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is emerging evidence supporting the efficacy of instructional coaching models used to support teachers in schools, additional research is necessary to investigate the individual contributions of coaching actions for specific approaches. This study investigated the extent to which three coaching actions—modeling, practice, and feedback—provided during data-driven coaching predicted (a) teachers' intervention implementation fidelity, (b) teachers' use of evidence-based classroom strategies, and (c) class-wide student achievement. In addition, the study explored the potential mediating influence of teachers' intervention implementation fidelity on the relationship between coaching actions and teachers' use of evidence-based strategies. Participants included 16 instructional coaches, one from each of 16 high-poverty charter schools, and 133 coached K–12 classroom teachers assigned to 3649 students. Results from multiple regression analyses indicated that the provision of practice opportunities during coaching was a statistically significant predictor, with greater practice opportunities associated with greater teacher intervention implementation fidelity and greater class-wide student English Language Arts (ELA) and math achievement. Feedback during coaching predicted student ELA but not math achievement. Both practice and feedback opportunities predicted better teacher use of evidence-based classroom strategies. In addition, teachers' intervention implementation fidelity mediated the relationship between teacher practice opportunities and teachers' use of evidence-based classroom strategies. Modeling was not found to be a statistically significant predictor. Study limitations and implications for practice and future research are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine associations between food insecurity and parent feeding practices for children aged 7–12 years; to determine differences between cohorts in urban and rural communities. Secondary analysis using baseline data from 2 randomized controlled trials: HOME Plus (urban) and NU-HOME (rural). A convenience sample of 264 parent-child dyads. Children were 51.5% female, aged 9.28 ± 1.45 years. Dependent variables included the Child Feeding Questionnaire (CFQ), restrictive feeding subscale, parent modeling of fruits and vegetable score, and family meal frequency (FMF) at breakfast and evening. Food insecurity was the primary independent variable. Multivariable linear or Poisson regression for each outcome. Food insecurity was associated with a 26% lower weekly rate of FMF at breakfast (95% confidence interval, 6% to 42%; P = 0.02). In stratified analysis, this association was only in the rural NU-HOME study (44% lower weekly rate; 95% confidence interval, 19% to 63%; P = 0.003). Food insecurity was not associated with CFQ restrictive score, parent modeling score, or FMF at the evening meal. Food insecurity was associated with less frequent family breakfast but not with other parent feeding practices. Future studies could investigate supportive mechanisms for positive feeding practices in households experiencing food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We draw on 16 waves of longitudinal data to examine the relationship between transport poverty and obesity in Australia. We focus on transport poverty relating to public and private transport use, and measure obesity based on body mass index. We find that transport poverty is associated with a decline in obesity. We examine social capital and physical activity as potential mechanisms through which transport poverty transmits to obesity. Our results suggest that transport poverty is associated with higher social capital and an increase in the frequency of engagement in physical activity – both of which have obesity reducing effects. Our findings highlight the need for policies that promote social capital and physical activity as a viable way to address growing concerns around obesity. • Examine the relationship between transport poverty and obesity in Australia. • Endogeneity is resolved using several quasi-experimental econometric techniques. • Transport poverty is associated with a decline in obesity. • Social capital and physical activity serve as important channels in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines if democracy reduces poverty in 40 Sub-Saharan African countries for the period 1999–2018. For this purpose, we employ the Generalised Method of Moments. The results show that democracy is not directly associated with poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this observation hides important non-linearities and an interesting pattern of policy complementarities. Indeed, democracy is associated with poverty reduction in countries where economic growth is strong and human capital high. The robustness tests carried out do not change these results. This means that poor economic growth and weak human capital not only have a direct negative effect on the well-being of SSA countries, but also prevent the poor in those countries from benefitting the gains of democracy. Therefore, in order to reduce poverty in SSA, policy makers should continue the process of democratization while simultaneously adopting policies of economic development and human capital building. Democracy in isolation is useless for the poor in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low-poverty schools often outperform high-poverty schools on school readiness tests. • We identified high-poverty schools exceling on the social-emotional segment of the Oregon Kindergarten Assessment. • Future studies should explore community factors contributing to positive deviance. Entering kindergarten when developmentally ready can have substantial impacts on a child's future academic success and physical health. Children from low-income households are more likely to enter kindergarten with lower school readiness than their more affluent peers, and the educational gap may widen throughout the schooling years. The current study used positive deviance inquiry to identify elementary schools in Oregon serving large percentages of children receiving free or reduced-price lunch exceling on the Approaches to Learning segment of the state 2018-19 kindergarten assessment. We assessed the student demographics of these positive outlier schools and compared characteristics of schools grouped by poverty status. Additionally, we examined the association between school poverty status and school-level kindergarten assessment scores, and further explored the variables potentially influencing this relationship (school size, charter status, and location). Over a quarter of Oregon's top performing schools were high-poverty schools, labeled as positive outliers. The average Approaches to Learning score of positive outlier schools was 0.61 points higher (95% CI: 0.55, 0.68) compared to other high-poverty schools (p<0.0001), and 0.42 points higher (95% CI: 0.33, 0.50) compared to low-poverty schools (p < 0.0001). These findings highlight that poverty is not always predictive of poor social-emotional skills or overall school readiness and exploration of family, school and community school readiness efforts is underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study examined cortisol across the preschool day and executive functioning. • The focus was young children facing poverty-related stress. • A standardized teacher questionnaire measured executive functioning. • Results suggest greater cortisol output relates to executive functioning problems. • Implications concern intervention planning for children facing economic hardship. Experiences of poverty and racism in early childhood can overburden physiological systems that respond to stress with implications for the development of the prefrontal cortex and related executive functioning. The present study is unique in its examination of basal cortisol output across the preschool day in relation to teacher ratings of executive functioning. Participants were 310 children attending Head Start preschool in the United States, a majority of whom were Black, Hispanic, or Asian Heritage. Salivary cortisol was sampled in duplicate at 4 times across 2 days near the beginning of the school year, resulting in a total of 16 samples per child. Several weeks later, the BRIEF-P teacher rating scale assessed various components of executive functioning. Zero-order correlations suggested that basal cortisol output across the preschool day related to each assessed component of executive functioning, as well as to composite scores. Results of hierarchical linear modeling indicated that higher cortisol across the preschool day related to greater difficulties in overall teacher-reported executive functioning, controlling for child age, birth-assigned sex, race/ethnicity, and family income. Implications concern understanding the impact of stress on executive functioning in the preschool classroom and promoting positive outcomes for children facing adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is recommended as an alternative for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Low-income, minority groups in the United States continue to exhibit high SSB and low water consumption, and are more likely to exceed 100% fruit juice recommendations. To test the effects of a home-based intervention designed to replace SSBs with tap water and reduce excess juice consumption among parents and their infants/toddlers. Randomized controlled trial. Parents (n = 92) of infants/toddlers who participated in three Early Head Start home-visiting programs that serve predominantly Hispanic, low-income communities during 2019-2021. The 12-week intervention (Water Up!@Home) simultaneously addressed physical barriers to tap water consumption (via a water filter) and sociocultural barriers to replacing SSBs and juice with water (via a curriculum). Comparison group received a water filter only. We hypothesized that the intervention would lead to a reduction of 6 fl oz/d in SSB and juice consumption. Parent-reported self and infant/toddler SSBs, water (filtered, tap, or bottled), and 100% fruit juice consumption. Analysis of covariance to compare changes in consumption between experimental groups was performed. We also conducted t tests to assess changes within groups. Participants in both groups reported significant reductions in SSBs from baseline (parents: intervention [–11.2 fl oz/d; P < 0.01]; comparison [–8.0 fl oz/d; P < 0.01]; children: intervention [–1.50 fl oz/d; P = 0.03]; comparison [–1.56 fl oz/d; P = 0.02]), increased water consumption (parents in both groups [+5.6 fl oz/d]; children: intervention [+3.61 fl oz/d; P = 0.01], comparison [+2.24 fl oz/d; P = 0.05]), mostly from filtered tap water. Differences between groups were not statistically significant. Intervention participants reported significant reductions in 100% fruit juice vs comparison (parents: –3.6 fl oz/d vs –1.0 fl oz/d; P < 0.01; children: –0.73 fl oz/d vs +0.48 fl oz/d; P =.03). The intervention effectively reduced 100% fruit juice consumption. Water security should be examined as a contributor to SSB consumption in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telehealth has the potential to increase contraceptive access. Little is known about the characteristics of people using online prescribing platforms or whether these services help fill access gaps. We analyzed requests for contraception submitted between July 2015 and September 2017 to an online prescribing platform that offers sexual and reproductive care in the United States. We analyzed the characteristics of people seeking contraceptives, prevalence of contraindications to hormonal contraception among contraceptive seekers, and extent to which online prescribing may close contraceptive access gaps. A total of 38,439 requests for prescription hormonal birth control were received during the study period, with requests increasing dramatically over this timeframe as the platform expanded operations to an increasing number of states. Methods were dispensed in response to 63% of requests. In this population seeking contraception, an estimated 1.2% had a contraindication to progestin-only pills, and an estimated 12.0% of patients who reported their blood pressure had a contraindication to combined hormonal methods. Few requests came from patients younger than 18 (1.2%). In multivariable negative binomial models, urban counties had a larger concentration of requests, whereas counties with higher rates of uninsurance and poverty had lower rates of requests. Results suggest that the population seeking contraception from one online prescribing platform has similar levels of contraindications to hormonal contraceptives as found in prior research. Future research should seek to understand why utilization of this online prescribing platform was lower among young people, how to expand outreach to rural populations, and what underlies individuals' decisions about using these services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We use the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to explore how different dimensions of poverty more directly linked to young people are associated with depressive symptoms among South African youth.Methods: Data came from the 2017 wave of the nationally-representative National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) in South Africa. We focused on a sample of 15-24-year-olds whose depressive symptoms were assessed using an adapted version of the 10-item Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. We examine how individual dimensions and indicators of the MPI relate to depression, in comparison to more conventional measures, including household income, subjective social standing, overcrowding and personal assets. Cross-sectional analyses were adjusted for clustering to account for sampling design.Results: The MPI index was not associated with probable depression (OR = 1.02, 95 % CI 0.81-1.29). Only lack of access to the labour market emerged as a key individual dimension associated with probable depression (OR = 5.29, 95 % CI 1.70-16.47), a relationship driven by an increased odds for those not in employment, education or training. Lack of household assets, living in an informal dwelling and lower perceived social standing were also associated with increased odds for depression. No gender differences were noted.Limitations: The study is cross-sectional and not suitable to examine the causal nature of the association between multidimensional poverty and depression.Conclusions: Poverty dimensions that measure youth's access to employment or training have a strong association with depression. Further research is needed to assess whether improved access to employment or training contributes to improving mental health among young South Africans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation technology provides opportunities for teachers to engage in extended practice using positive behavioral supports to promote student engagement and behavior. These training models are rapidly emerging and if effective, create an infrastructure for scaling up positive behavioral supports in classrooms and schools. However, there is limited research examining teacher skill transfer or student outcomes. This study examined the incremental benefits of Interactive Virtual Training for Teachers (IVT-T) in combination with professional learning communities (PLCs) in one high poverty school district. Using a quasi-experimental design, teachers (N = 90; n = 52 IVT-T + PLC condition; n = 38 PLC condition) and students (N = 100; n = 60 IVT-T + PLC condition; n = 40 PLC only) participated across six K–8 schools. Both training conditions were rated as moderately acceptable. One and two-level generalized linear models indicated teachers who used IVT-T increased their use of praise (b = 0.75, p =.03) and decreased their use of behavioral corrective feedback (b = −0.32, p =.02). Their students were also more passively engaged (b = 0.42, p =.05) and showed fewer inappropriate physical behaviors (b = −0.87, p =.002). IVT-T hours predicted increases in praise statements (b = 0.07, p <.001) and decreases in vague directives (b = −0.07, p =.006) whereas PLC hours predicted increases in teachers' use of vague directives (b = 0.07, p =.05). There was a significant positive effect of IVT-T hours on student passive engagement (b = 0.04, p =.01) and a negative effect of PLC hours on rates of inappropriate physical behaviors (b = 0.1, p =.04). Study limitations and future directions for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of how particular segments of society fare is a common concern in many policy and academic realms, including transportation. The Target group Position Index (TPI) is introduced to assess the relative situation of a target group compared to a larger population. It uses two distinct population-specific benchmarks to determine the relative position of the subgroup: a theoretical worst-case and a theoretical best-case situation. An application of the index to transport is also presented, using 49 of the largest US metropolitan regions as case studies. Job accessibility by public transport is assessed for two population subgroups especially likely to benefit from public transport: adults without a car and adults living in poverty. It is found that the car-less population is comparatively better served by public transport than the poor population. Additionally, regions with a higher TPI score for car-less populations also tend to have public transport systems that better serve their population living in poverty. These results highlight that the proposed index allows for easy comparison across regions, despite large differences in the scale of the variable of interest (accessibility by public transport), the total population, and the size of the target groups (car-less or adults in poverty). • The TPI is introduced to analyze target groups within a larger population. • The TPI may be used for equity analysis within a prioritarian perspective of justice. • In the US, the car-less pop. is better served by public transport than the poor pop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relationship between food insecurity and psychological distress among a sample of poor households in Lebanon. We first document large unconditional differences in various measures of psychological distress based on whether a respondent lives in a household experiencing acute food insecurity. Next we show that these differences persist even when accounting for heterogeneity by interview timing, geography, and other characteristics. Considering results across a variety of regression specifications, we find that experiencing acute food insecurity increases scores on a psychological distress index by at least 0.16 standard deviations. These results carry implications for the literature on the mental health consequences of food insecurity and poverty alleviation policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]