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Background: Relatively few studies have examined the association between air pollution and stroke mortality. Inconsistent and inclusive results from existing studies on air pollution and stroke justify the need to continue to investigate the linkage between stroke and air pollution. No studies have been done to investigate the association between stroke and greenness. The objective of this study was to examine if there is association of stroke with air pollution, income and greenness in northwest Florida. Results: Our study used an ecological geographical approach and dasymetric mapping technique. We adopted a Bayesian hierarchical model with a convolution prior considering five census tract specific covariates. A 95% credible set which defines an interval having a 0.95 posterior probability of containing the parameter for each covariate was calculated from Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations. The 95% credible sets are (-0.286, -0.097) for household income, (0.034, 0.144) for traffic air pollution effect, (0.419, 1.495) for emission density of monitored point source polluters, (0.413, 1.522) for simple point density of point source polluters without emission data, and (-0.289,-0.031) for greenness. Household income and greenness show negative effects (the posterior densities primarily cover negative values). Air pollution covariates have positive effects (the 95% credible sets cover positive values). Conclusion: High risk of stroke mortality was found in areas with low income level, high air pollution level, and low level of exposure to green space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this special issue is to draw attention to "missing dimensions" of poverty data - dimensions that are of value to poor people, but for which we have scant or no data. Amartya Sen frames development as the process of expanding the freedoms that people value and have reason to value. Although the most widely known measure of human development includes income, longevity and education, many have argued that people's values, and consequently multidimensional poverty, extend beyond these domains. In order to advance these multiple areas, it is at times necessary to conduct empirical studies using individual or household-level data on multiple dimensions of poverty. A critical barrier for international analyses of multidimensional poverty is that few or no high-quality indicators are available across countries and respondents in key domains that are deeply important to poor people and of potentially critical instrumental importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aims were to describe the socio-economic circumstances faced by families supporting a child at risk of disability and to investigate the extent to which disability is associated with hardship once family income is held constant. We analysed data on 7070 family units containing 12,916 children aged under 17. Families supporting a child at risk of disability were significantly more disadvantaged across a wide range of indicators of socio-economic position. The hardship experienced by these families was only partly accounted for by between group differences in income, debt and savings. Children who are already at risk of disability as a result of a range of physical and cognitive impairments are more likely than other children to live under conditions that have been repeatedly shown to impede development, increase the risk of poor health and (additional) disability and increase the risk of social exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We sought to update income-specific secular trends in obesity in Brazil to assess the hypothesis that the disease burden is shifting toward the poor. Methods. We compared overall and income-specific obesity prevalence rates estimated for Brazilian men and women from national surveys conducted in 1975, 1989, and 2003. We calculated age-adjusted prevalence ratios to assess time trends. Results. In the first 14-year period examined (1975-1989), obesity rates among men and women increased by 92% and 63%, respectively, and increases were relatively higher among individuals in lower income groups. In the second 14-year period (1989-2003), there were further increases in obesity among men, and again increases were larger among the poor. In this second period, the obesity rate remained virtually stable in the overall female population, but it increased by 26% among women in the 2 lower income quintiles and decreased by 10% among women in the 3 higher income quintiles. Conclusions. The burden of obesity is shifting toward the poor and can no longer be considered a disease of the socioeconomic elite. Policymakers need to design policy and programs that reach all members of society, but especially the poor. (Am J Public Health. 2007;97:1808-1812. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2006.099630) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines receipt rates of Minnesota's earned income credit program by households on welfare from 1992 through 1999. We examine urban and rural differences in the rate of receipt throughout time and in the factors contributing to receipt. Our tabulations show that the central counties of the Minneapolis-St. Paul standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA) have the lowest receipt rates, although rates are increasing for all regions and the disparities are diminishing through time. We find that a number of policy variables, household characteristics, and local labor market variables differentially affect receipt probabilities. Information from this research might help policy makers and designers of low-income programs construct improved policies that help families more quickly exit poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the diversity of definitions used in research of low-socioeconomic status (SES) students in higher education. It defines the four approaches that address the overlapping groups of students, including SES, parental income, parental education, and parental occupation. It was stated that defining the four approaches used in the research of low-SES students is significant in examining and improving the students' access, experiences, and outcomes of college. In addition, the author's employment of the term "economically and educationally challenged" to describe low-income students was discussed.

Objective: This article reports on the reliability and validity of a new instrument called the Resource Generating Strategies (RGS) Scale, which was created to measure participation in the informal economy. Method: Researchers interviewed 285 adult women who had received domestic violence services, were currently incarcerated, or were residing in the community. Results: Five subtypes of informal economic activity are identified: (a) informal selling and exchange, (b) credit card use, (c) institutionalized informal economy, (d) gifts or loans from family and partners, and (e) illegal informal economy. Strong evidence is found for reliability and validity. Conclusions: This scale can be used to expand the knowledge base of practitioners and policy makers about the strengths and economic coping strategies of low-income individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between education and savings performance in Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), a matched savings program for the poor. Based on economic and institutional theories of savings, we further investigate whether the relationship between education and savings is mediated by income, intended uses of IDAs, or program factors. The data of this study are from the American Dream Demonstration (N = 2,150), the first national demonstration of IDAs. The results indicate that education was positively related to savings after controlling for program factors and other individual characteristics. Household income and two program factors, monthly savings target and financial education, partially mediated the relationship between education and savings outcomes. These results provide some support for both economic and institutional theories of savings among low-income people. The findings also may help design and implement more effective savings programs for the low-income population and its varying segments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, there has been a spirited debate over the impact of the welfare expansion associated with the War on Poverty. Many analysts have maintained that public assistance expansion during this period decreased poverty by raising the incomes of the poor (an income enhancement effect), while others have contended that welfare expansion increased poverty by discouraging the poor from working (a work disincentive effect). There has been considerable empirical research about the historical effect of welfare on poverty, nearly all of which relies on the poverty rate (i.e., the percentage of persons with income less than the “poverty threshold”) as an indicator of the extent of poverty. However, this work has not employed designs that allow researchers to sort out distinct income enhancement and work disincentive effects. We develop a model of poverty rates in the American states that permits estimation of these distinct effects—based on state-level time-series data observed annually for the years 1960–90—and we find that welfare had both effects during our period of analysis. We also calculate the net impact of increases in welfare benefits on the poverty rate—taking into account both work disincentive and income enhancement effects. Our results indicate that this net impact is dependent on three variables: the initial level of cash benefits, wage levels for unskilled workers, and the share of the benefit increase provided through cash rather than in-kind assistance. Because of historical trends in these variables, since the 1970s welfare spending has become increasingly less effective in reducing the poverty rate. However, the significance of this result for policymakers must be tempered by evidence that flaws in the poverty rate as an indicator of poverty make it so that any finding about the net effect of an increase in welfare benefits on the poverty rate underestimates welfare's ability to lessen the true extent of poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses credit behavior and impatience using evidence from a field experiment. The research involved low-to-moderate income (LMI) individuals. The study included data from the Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) credit score, if available. The concept of self-control and its effect on current or delayed consumption were also taken into consideration. The differences in the individuals' preference of time were analyzed, which indicated that preference was a factor in their credit behavior variations.

World poor number four billion. Roughly fifty percent of Venezuelans lack enough income to live decently. These are realities that governments, on their own, are unlikely to overcome. Pondering business for social inclusion means to link virtually unconnected issues -- private enterprise, on the one hand, societal development and the fight against poverty on the other. The so-called "base of the pyramid" has aroused business interest in a world of possibilities, a world where social and economic value can emerge from profitable market initiatives with low income sectors. Developing new value chains is a passkey to business ventures that feature inclusion of low income groups. Turning these groups into partners entails capitalizing differences to build complementarities. It's not simply a matter of offering quality goods and services to the poor at lower prices. Neither is it a matter of paying a fair price to small farmers. At issue is how to establish collective productivities that are both inclusive and sustainable. For companies, business continues, but in a new context of growing welfare and equality. Business initiatives that feature inclusion make companies actors that integrate into society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To examine the efficacy of a stage-targeted physical activity intervention among low-income African-Americans. Methods. 207 participants were randomly assigned to groups and administered baseline measures. Intervention participants were mailed stage-targeted physical activity information, whereas control participants received low-sodium diet brochures. Measures were readministered by phone 1 and 6 months later, with response rates of 69% and 46%, respectively. Results. 69% of participants were African-American and 64% had a monthly household income of < $1000. A doubly-multivariate analysis of variance indicated that intervention participants reported more physical activity than control participants at 1 month (F(1, 204) = 4.03, p < .05). Unlike control participants, intervention participants reported significant stage progression at 1 month, according to a McNemar X² test. Gains attenuated by 6 months. Conclusions. The current study supports the use of this intervention among low-income African-Americans. Limitations include use of self-report measures and small sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determinants of first-time homelessness were evaluated in Sacramento, California and Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. First-time homeless women had more cumulative risks for homelessness than low-income never-homeless women, even with the putative advantage of higher levels of education. Solutions to homelessness should address more than one dimension of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the study which investigates the civil justice problems of low and moderate income citizens in Canada. The study reveals that 47.7% of the incidence of law-related problems had encompassed a variety of very different types of problems, where three categories of economic problems appeared to have the highest frequency of occurrence, including money and debt, consumer, and employment. Moreover, about 33.9% of all problems were assessed to remain unresolved.

This article presents the results of an investigation of the following questions: How do low-income African American and Latino youths negotiate the boundaries between school and peer group contexts? Do variable forms of negotiation exist? If so, what are they, and how do they manifest? In addressing these questions, the author posits two arguments that directly challenge the "acting white" thesis. The first is that black and Latino students' academic, cultural, psychological, and social experiences are heterogeneous. This article examines three groups of low-income African American and Latino students who differ in how they believe group members should behave culturally—the cultural mainstreamers, the cultural straddlers, and the noncompliant believers. Second, this article returns to the sociological signification of four dimensions of the phenomenon of (resistance to) acting white and highlights the varied responses of the three groups to the social boundaries that collective identities engender and that status hierarchies in schools produce. Straddlers appear to traverse the boundaries between their ethnic peer groups and school environments best. The analyses are based on a combination of survey and qualitative data that were collected from a series of in-depth individual and group interviews with an interethnic, mixed-gender sample of 68 low-income, African American and Latino youths, aged 13–20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the importance of poverty rate over other social and economic indicators that bear on poverty or progress on the domestic U.S. scene. The poverty rate identifies households with incomes falling below an official poverty threshold and are regularly calculated for the country as a whole as well as for every locality. However, the author explores the idea that unreliable and misleading conclusions are offered by the poverty measure.

The Human Poverty Index (HPI) is a composite index of poverty that focuses on deprivations in human lives, aimed at measuring poverty as a failure in capabilities in multiple dimensions, in contrast to the conventional headcount measure focused on low incomes. The HPI was introduced in the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report 1997 and concentrates on deprivations in basic dimensions of life. This paper develops an axiomatic characterization of a family of global deprivation indices using an arbitrary number of dimensions of human life. When we consider only the three basic dimensions, a member of this family becomes ordinally equivalent to HPI. The general index allows the calculation of percentage contributions of deprivations in different dimensions, and hence to identify the dimensions whose failures affect the overall deprivation more. This is important from a policy perspective. We also provide an empirical illustration of the characterized indices using cross‐country data for the three basic dimensions and the anthropometric indicators birth weight, height for age and nourishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathologizing the Poor: A Framework for Understanding Ruby Payne's Work The poor person does not exist as an inescapable fact of destiny. His or her existence is not politically neutral, and it is not ethically innocent. The poor are a by-product of the system in which we live and for which we are responsible. - Gustavo Gutiérrez [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an analysis of income poverty dynamics in Australia using longitudinal data from the first three waves of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. As in other developed countries, far fewer people are found to be living in persistent poverty than are poor on an annual basis. With a poverty threshold set at 50 per cent of median equivalised income, just over four per cent of Australians were measured as being in income poverty in all three waves. Among those who were poor during 2000-01, about half subsequently had incomes above the 50 per cent threshold. However, the longer people remained in poverty, the less likely they were to exit, the greater was their risk of re-entering poverty, and the lower were their incomes if they temporarily escaped poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been hypothesized that exposure to stress and negative life events is related to poor health outcomes, and that differential exposure to stress plays a role in socioeconomic disparities in health. Data from three waves of the Americans' Changing Lives study (n = 3,617) were analyzed to investigate prospectively the relationship among socioeconomic indicators, five measures of stress/negative life events, and the health outcomes of mortality, functional limitations, and self-rated health. The results revealed that (1) life events and other types of stressors are clearly related to socioeconomic position; (2) a count of negative lifetime events was positively associated with mortality; (3) a higher score on a financial stress scale was predictive of severe/moderate functional limitations and fair/poor self-rated health at wave 3; and (4) a higher score on a parental stress scale was predictive of fair/poor self-rated health at wave 3. The negative effects of low income on functional limitations attenuated to insignificance when waves 1 and 2 stress/life event measures were controlled for, but other socioeconomic disparities in health change remained sizable and significant when adjusted for exposure to stressors. The results support the hypothesis that differential exposure to stress and negative life events is one of many ways in which socioeconomic inequalities in health are produced in society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to examine the scope of home-based businesses in poor neighbourhoods and the extent to which household income is derived from them. The aim was to determine the ratio of home-based business income to wage earnings, in order to understand its relative importance in augmenting primary employment (wage-based) income. The size, necessity and importance of self-generated (business-derived) income in augmenting primary income was measured in a selected subeconomic housing area within the Cape Metropole. The significance of this analytical research is the determination of income data and the levels of poverty. This paper provides the primary data (base information) for policy formulation relating to social and economic development in this subeconomic area. The findings add to the debate for the provision of a Basic Income Allowance (grant) for those people experiencing poverty. The results correlate with findings of national longitudinal studies. The level of job creation through businesses is minimal and the extent of unemployment is much greater than anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review of promising programs to address the challenges facing low-income families living in distressed neighborhoods reveals three key themes: (1) Earnings and asset development programs are used to increase the economic self-sufficiency of low-income families and include: place-based employment programs, a focus on ‘good jobs,’ the use of work incentives, programs that promote banking, car and home ownership, and the use of the Earned Income Tax Credit; (2) Family strengthening programs are used to improve health and educational outcomes, as well as link families to needed support and benefit services and include: nurse home visitation, parenting education, early childhood educational programs, and facilitating the receipt of support services; and (3) Neighborhood strengthening programs are used to improve features of the neighborhood, collaboration among service providers, and resident involvement in neighborhood affairs and include: the use of community development corporations, comprehensive community initiatives and community organizing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review of promising practices for meeting the multiple needs of low-income families in poverty neighborhoods reveals four main themes: (1) The challenges facing low-income families living in poverty neighborhoods are not discrete-but are multidimensional; (2) Integrated family and neighborhood strengthening practices, such as the Making Connections (MC) Initiative (funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation), and the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ), represent innovative strategies to address the multifaceted issues facing low-income families living in poverty neighborhoods; (3) The organizational structure, challenges and successes of the MC and HCZ provide insight into the nature of integrated family and neighborhood approaches; (4) A framework for the design of an integrated family and neighborhood program includes a locus on internal organizational processes, neighborhood processes, and external processes. This framework can assist social service agencies ill moving their services toward a more integrated family and neighborhood approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has long been recognized that children and adults living in poverty are at risk for a number of negative outcomes. As inequality in the distribution of wealth, income and opportunity has grown in the U.S. during the post-welfare reform era, impoverished children and their families have tended to become increasingly concentrated in urban low-income neighborhoods. Research evidence demonstrates that living in these neighborhoods affects family well-being in several key areas: economic and employment opportunity, health and mental health condition, crime and safety, and children's behavioral and educational outcomes. Using the neighborhood indicator approach, public and nonprofit social service agencies will be better positioned to develop a comprehensive and integrated service delivery model at the neighborhood level by using neighborhood assessment to locate services and utilize neighborhood intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-income families face an enormous burden to achieve economic security since the deterioration of a guaranteed safety net. Health insurance coverage is uneven, affordable childcare falls short of demand, and wage earnings insufficiently support family needs. This analysis focuses on recent trends in family formation, the impact of policy changes on families of color and of immigrant status, and explores the daily challenges and coping strategies low-income families use to survive despite insufficient resources. Four key findings emerge from this body of knowledge: (1) Low-income families experience severe hardships when relying on cash assistance, work, or a combination of both; (2) Low-income families are resilient and resourceful; (3) Low-income families face significant barriers to using public and private services along with increasing earnings from work; and (4) The quality of life for families of color and immigrant families is directly affected by employment and service sector practices. Future research needs to focus on identifying tile critical unmet needs of low-income families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has found that low-income individuals can and do save when institutional supports are in place; however, little structured data are available on how and why they manage to save. This article presents a study of the long-term savings experiences of 9 low-income African American women who were participating in an Individual Development Account (IDA) savings program in a city in North Carolina. The results indicated that despite many markers of disadvantage, low-income African American women use various strategies to save money for developing their assets. These findings can inform policy, practice, and research by increasing knowledge of facilitators of and barriers to the development of assets among the poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty and poverty reduction are currently the central concerns of development discourse and policy. Despite recent theoretical advances, poverty analysis continues to be dominated by an income/consumption conception of poverty. We argue for understandings of poverty that go beyond measurement-led conceptualizations to more adequately expose the causes of poverty. Chronic Poverty is one such concept. Its focus on poverty duration and dynamics highlights the forms of social relations that produce poverty, and which are often embedded within political institutions and economic structures. Poverty reduction does not simply require "good" policy: it requires creating the capacity of poorer people to influence, and hold accountable, those who make policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings from the qualitative arm of the Warm Homes Project, a programme of research concerned with the nature of fuel poverty, its alleviation and its relationship to family health. Much of the research into fuel poverty, which results from various combinations of low income and fuel inefficiency, has drawn upon quantitative paradigms. Experiences of, and coping with, fuel poverty have not been well explored. Data for the present study were obtained through qualitative interviews with household members about the above issues. The findings suggest that the expectations of those in fuel poverty about staying warm, and their beliefs about the relationship between warmth and health, vary considerably. Fuel poverty often had wider ramifications, impacting on quality of life in complex ways. The respondents took steps to alleviate cold, but their strategies varied. Coping was affected by informational limitations as well as cost constraints. Measures designed to alleviate fuel poverty should take into account its wider social meaning within the lives of household members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The financial services and sources of credit available to poor families affect the rate at which families can be financially empowered through building assets. This paper provides background information on financial services, including credit sources, which are available for low-income people and communities. Also discussed arc policies affecting financial markets and promising innovations in delivering affordable financial services to low-income families. Implications for social work education, practice and advocacy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participation in rural off-farm activities (outside a household's own farm) is one of the livelihood strategies among poor rural households in many developing countries. One component of off-farm activities accessible to the very poor is wage labor because it does not require any complementary physical capital. A household's ability to participate in the rural labor market depends on the characteristics of the household itself and the local labor markets conditions. This study examines the factors that determine the number of households supplying labor to a particular rural local labor market in rural areas of Tanzania and the share of labor income in total cash income. The study finds that education level, availability of land, and access to economic centers and credit are the most important factors in determining the number of households that participate in a particular rural local labor market and the share of labor income in total cash income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective poverty reduction policies need accurate measures of wellbeing. The introduction of Chile Solidario, a programme aimed at eradicating extreme and persistent poverty in Chile, provided an opportunity to re-assess the proxy tool used to identify poor households (CAS). There is a growing interest in moving towards more comprehensive measures of wellbeing than standard income or one-dimensional measures. Sen's capability approach provides a framework for developing such measures, which we extend to develop operational measures of objectively valued opportunity sets. The article argues that these provide a more effective informational base to evaluate wellbeing. It then applies these ideas to the CAS as the informational base of the newly created Chile Solidario. Les politiques de réduction effective de la pauvreté réclament des mesures précises du bien-être. La mise en place du Chile Solidario, un programme qui vise l'éradication de la pauvreté extrême et persistante au Chili, a offert une opportunité pour réévaluer la variable proxy utilisée pour identifier les ménages pauvres (CAS). Il y a un intérêt croissant pour une évolution de mesures fondées sur le revenu standard ou unidimensionnelles vers des mesures du bien-être plus détaillées. L'approche par les capacités, proposée par Sen, fournit un cadre de travail pour le développement de telles mesures. Nous l'élargissons pour développer des mesures opérationnelles des ensembles d'opportunités évalués objectivement. Cet article affirme que ces derniÓres fournissent une base informationnelle plus efficace pour évaluer le bien-être. Il applique ensuite ces idées au CAS comme base informationnelle pour le programme chilien nouvellement créé, Chile Solidario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the tradeoffs inherent in guaranteed income proposals. Its perspective is international, using the Luxembourg Income Study and asking whether economic efficiency suffers when governments make greater efforts to protect the poor. Using two different measures of productivity growth, we find no big tradeoff between equity and efficiency. That is, during those times and in those countries where greater efforts were made to protect the incomes of the poor, productivity growth does not seem to be affected very much. This gives some hope that efficiency concerns are not a fatal objection to guaranteed income plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental justice movement attempts to examine the disproportionate exposure of environmental pollution on minority and low-income people, understand the patterns of such disproportionate exposures and develop strategies to reduce and eliminate such exposures. Unlike several environmental justice studies that include all fifty states of the United States, this study examines the locations of manufacturing facilities that pollute in states with predominantly high African-American populations. Our analysis indicates that polluting facilities tend to choose counties with higher proportion of nonwhite populations. Per capita incomes of people living within 5-miles of the facilities are lower than per capita incomes of people living in the host counties Contrary to the conventional wisdom, population density per square mile both within 1 mile and 5 miles of the facility are much higher than the state population densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an economy grows, natural capital such as timber, soil, and water is reallocated to the human economy. This conflict between economic growth and biodiversity conservation creates a conundrum for conservation biologists because traditional forms of conservation action require money. We hypothesize that conservation spending in the United States is highly correlated with income and wealth, and we tested whether selected proxies for US. conservation activity could be predicted by US. economic indicators over time scales of 7-71 years. Stock market indexes (Dow Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500 Index), gross domestic product (GDP), and personal income (PI) explained as much as 99% of annual variation in total revenue (including contributions) to four large nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), the World Wildlife Fund, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense, The Nature Conservancy. These broad economic indicators also explained as much as 96% of the annual number of university conservation programs, 83% of membership in professional conservation organizations (Natural Areas Association, Society for Conservation Biology), 93% of national park visitation, and 99+% of national park acreage. In most analyses, the income variables GDP and PI explained more variation in conservation activity than did either of the stock-market wealth variables. After long-term growth was removed from the time series, changes in revenues to the four NGOs combined were significantly correlated with GDP but not PI over the short term. Short-term variation in park acreage was significantly correlated with GDP and PI but lagged both by 3 years. Using linear models based on GDP, we predicted increases of 2.3% in 2003 cumulative NGO revenues and 1.0% in 2006 acreage owned by the National Park Service. The conservation activity parameters we measured may exhibit positive trends even in the face of declining biodiversity, but biodiversity conservation will ultimately require the cessation of economic growth. The challenge to the conservation biology community is to retain a significant presence during and after the cessation of growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the evolution of the income share of the poorest 20 per cent of the population, and of the average income level of this group, in a cross-country sample using data from 1965 to 1990. The change in the income share of the poor is negatively correlated with its 1965 level and with 1965 per capita GDP, implying the greatest improvements in poor countries with the most unequal initial income distribution, but is not correlated with economic growth. The average incomes of the poor grow faster in countries with higher growth rates. Nous analysons l'évolution de la part de revenu des 20% les plus pauvres de la population, et du niveau de revenu moyen de ce groupe, à partir d'un échantillon de plusieurs pays entre 1965 et 1990. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the economic situation of the poorest counties in the Appalachian Region, based on the 2000 U.S. census data. Geographic diversity of region; Income and poverty trends; Analysis of income in 1999; County economic status by income measures.

This study focuses on lowest income Mexican women attended for abortion-related complications in a public hospital. The objective was to investigate the women's experience of having a so-called "spontaneous" abortion and their related strategies to avoid stigmatization. Four strategies emerge from women's testimonies: presenting themselves as women who "play by the rules," pleading ignorance of the pregnancy, stating that they had already accepted their pregnancy, or presenting the abortion as the result of an accident. Women use these strategies to deflect any blame to which they might be subjected and as a means of dealing with the stigma attached to a behavior that transgresses social norms regarding reproduction. Far from being passive receptors of the social imperative, which makes motherhood compulsory, women oscillate strategically within the margins of a seemingly uniform normative discourse and thereby ensure their moral survival. The authors discuss results within the framework of praxis theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on poverty in America has shown that isolation impacts negatively on per capita income. The concept of isolation, or economic distance, is also useful in explaining the existence of regions of persistent poverty in rural America. This article focuses on rural poverty and tests the impact of isolation, or economic distance, on a five county region in the Missouri Ozarks. When economic distance values are calculated for these counties, a relationship between degree of isolation and low income appears to emerge. Furthermore, the relationship is found to persist over time, indicating that it may be a strong one. These findings indicate that public policy which reduces the physical isolation of rural communities may reasonably be expected to reduce poverty rates and begin to break up regions of persistent rural poverty which have existed throughout the nation for generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge of poverty and low income is a key issue for organisations concerned with groups of the population at risk of social exclusion. In particular, poorer older people who qualify for benefits remain the largest group most likely not to claim those benefits. Many millions of pounds are languishing in government coffers belonging to those who most need it. Recent reports such as All Our Tomorrows (ADSS/LGA, 2003) highlight the importance of a decent income to a good quality of life for older people. Housing 21, which provides housing, care and support services for older people in England, encourages its residents to claim their full entitlement of benefits by offering advice and support from its two welfare benefit managers. This article highlights how their work has really made a difference to the lives of older people and suggests what more needs to be done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has sought to confront the common belief that any job is a good job. This uphill battle is constantly undermined by the concrete realities of a poor, jobless person in search of daily bread and the abstractions of macroeconomic indicators more than they reveal. The author has purposefully chosen two highly educated workers, who command more than adequate incomes and thus have a choice in the matter. The author has emphasized the idea that a basic first step in reclaiming the ethics of work is to seriously engage the notion of respect.

This paper analyzes the investment characteristics of mortgage loans made to low- and moderate-income households. We combine loan level and borrower data provided by a major state housing finance authority with housing transaction data to identify loans terminated by refinancing, moving, and default. We estimate a multinomial logit model for the three risks of early termination. Measures of investment performance are generated using Monte Carlo simulation where the probability of early termination is based on the estimated multinomial model. We randomly select joint interest rate and house price scenarios. For each scenario, we generate the expected cash flows and calculate traditional investment characteristics such as duration and yield spreads. In order to compare the investment characteristics of low- and moderate-income loans with those of conventional mortgages, we simulate the cash flows and investment characteristics of conventional mortgages using models estimated from a major lender’s significantly higher default rate but a significantly lower refinancing rate when interest rates fall. The termination rate from mobility for the low- and moderate-income loans can be higher or lower than that of conventional mortgage loans, depending on the nature of the scenario. Overall, the low- and moderate-income loan portfolio has a longer duration but less negative convexity than the conventitional portfolio. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Low incomes may not provide the minimum requirements for healthy living. We evaluated experiences of food insecurity in relation to income in inner London. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Focuses on the link between individual income and life satisfaction. Factors affecting life satisfaction level of low income people; Cross-level interaction between wealth and income; Impact of unemployment on individual life contentment.

This study investigates the effects of a child's family income relative to the income of his or her neighbors. Relative deprivation theory predicts that having less than others in your reference group leads to negative psychological and behavioral outcomes. In contrast, theories of neighborhood resources predict that affluent neighbors are a valuable asset for children, even if such neighbors make children feel deprived. I define relative advantage as the income gap between children and their lower-income neighbors and find that it has no effect on their test scores, self-esteem, or behavior. In contrast, relative disadvantage (the income gap between children and their higher-income neighbors) has a positive and significant effect on these outcomes, including self-esteem. This analysis distinguishes between the number of higher-income families and the magnitude of their income advantage, and it addresses the potential influence of selection bias. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microenterprise has gained attention as a strategy to promote economic well-being among the poor, but there is relatively little research to suggest whether microenterprise programs work. This study uses existing data to compare three groups: low-income microentrepreneurs who participated in one of seven U.S. microenterprise assistance programs, low-income self-employed workers not attached to microenterprise assistance programs, and low-income wage workers not self-employed. Analyses of household income and poverty status over time fail to suggest that microenterprise programs make significant gains for participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Words: families, family policy, poverty, resilience. Mixed in with national data on declining poverty rates are other signs that poverty, economic hardship, and inequality continue unabated. This essay examines: (a) the scope of poverty and the growing disparity in income and wealth; (b) the consequences of poverty of adults and children; and (c) strategies for improving their resilience. It is suggested that resiliency will be enhanced more by keen attention to national economic policies than by focusing upon individual personality characteristics, family attributes, or even unique community features. Drawing on a public health analogy, a focus on prevention (through sound economic redistribution policies) could significantly strengthen families and improve their wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a model that illustrates the intergenerational transmission of poverty through the effects of shocks to family income on children's education and health and subsequently on their capacity to work and earn as adults in 19th century England. Distribution of boys' job qualifications; Significance of the Old Poor Law; Influences on the job qualification level obtained by boys; Determinants of intergenerational skill changes.

This paper explores the relationships among neighborhood disadvantage, stress, and the likelihood of drug use in a sample of adults (N = 1,101). Using the 1995 Detroit Area Study in conjunction with tract-level data from the 1990 census, we find a positive relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and drug use, and this relationship remains statistically significant net of controls for individual-level socioeconomic status. Neighborhood disadvantage is moderately associated with drug related behaviors, indirectly through increased social stressors and higher levels of psychological distress among residents of disadvantaged neighborhoods. A residual effect of neighborhood disadvantage remains, net of a large number of socially relevant controls. Finally, results from interactive models suggest that the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and drug use is most pronounced among individuals with lower incomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests have recently expanded in many countries. The success of the world, including both rich and poor, in following this trend depends on future changes in population, income per capita, appetite, and crop yields. Extended to the year 2050, the strengths of these forces, estimated from experience, project cropland shrinking by nearly 200 million hectares, more than three times the land area of France. Changes in some of the forces, with crop yield the most manageable, could double the shrinkage. Reasonable assumptions about the forces can also make the distribution of spared land between rich and poor countries roughly equal. Although the encroachment factor translating cropland change into forest land change varies greatly, one-third or more of the cropland spared could become forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a comparative analysis of local situations relating to income support measures for disadvantaged populations in Europe. It offers the advantage of highlighting the diversity and complexity of the processes at work and of local configurations. This article puts particular emphasis on the arrangements and relationships between public institutions and intermediate organizations, such as the church, family, local community etc. and on the forms and levels of intervention by these multiple actors. The challenge of social integration is driving all countries towards greater intervention, but it is also obliging them to establish new connections and new balances.